Moments in Time
by anythinglikeiwrite
Summary: Unlikely encounters don't always mean much, until they really do. And sometimes, they flip your world upside down and the unexpected becomes everything you ever need. Upstead AU
1. Chapter 1

There was always something about a good workout, a feeling Hailey knew quite well. It didn't matter what her day was like because the hour she had dedicated to her gym time refreshed her mind and body. The pain from her sore muscles only drove her to finish the run or the circuit she was on, her body wanting to quit while her mind kept going.

But today was different. Every single thing she did felt off, but she had a guess as to why. The gym was small, serving a very select clientele, but she liked that. Less of a chance for her to run into someone she knows, which is better.

She was running when she spotted him in the corner by the free weights. He was new, or at least new to her. In the year she had been here, Hailey had never seen him before, and she knew most everyone. There was something about him that didn't fit in with the boxing gym turned fitness center. Where everyone here was built and dedicated to their routines, this guy looked like he had never set foot in a gym. He was fit, but not as defined as some of the other guys here. But the ease at which he moved around the equipment told Hailey that he was familiar in some way. Not to mention, he wasn't bad to look at.

The second that thought crossed her mind, her eyes met his in the mirror on the wall. Blue met green for a split second and Hailey had to step off the treadmill for a second to avoid falling face first. She swore a smirk crossed his face, but she knew she was caught. He barely gave her a chance to start back up before he stopped in front of her treadmill.

"Don't you know it's tacky to hit on a girl at the gym?" she asked, pulling one of her headphones from her ear. The cocky grin that crossed his face caused her heart to speed up, even more than it was from her run.

"Who said I was hitting on you?" he shot back. "Maybe I was coming to see if you were done."

Hailey looked around, noticing only one other treadmill open. "There's another open," she said, pointing to the open one two down from her.

He simply shrugged, looking over that way before back at her. "Maybe I did want to talk to the prettiest girl here."

"Smooth," Hailey replied, trying and failing not to smile. "I'm Hailey."

"Jay," he replied. "I would ask if you're new, but I know you're not."

"Then I'll ask the question," she said, finally remembering to turn off the treadmill. She stayed where she was, the height allowing her to become eye level with him.

"My buddy owns the place," Jay replied to her unasked question. "This isn't my first rodeo."

"How come I've never seen you before?"

Jay paused and Hailey quickly picked up on it. But he recovered rather smoothly, and something told her he wasn't willing to supply that information.

"Had to change up my routine, used to come in the mornings, but now it's nights."

"Ahh," Hailey said, finally moving to get down. "Well machine's all yours. Hopefully it does you well." She took a second to scan his body, making a show of it for him. She caught him doing the same as she walked away. While she normally would continue, she knew she wouldn't be able to do much knowing he was watching. There was something about him that intrigued her, and Hailey wouldn't lie and say she wanted to know more.

As she settled on the bench in the women's locker room, she fished out her phone, texting the one person she knew that would know something.

* * *

"Well if it isn't my favorite gym rat!"

Hailey always heard him before she saw him. It was part of his charm you could say. She rolled her eyes before standing up, finding herself engulfed in one of his hugs.

"Missed ya girl," he said, sitting down across from her and grabbing her coffee.

"Hey!" she laughed at him, pushing the other cup on the table towards him. "Drink your own."

"Well since you asked so nicely," he shot back. "What's up, Hailey?"

Adam had always been one of her closest friends. He brought her into the gym and a short-term relationship followed. It ended as quickly as it began, but she still considered her one of her best friends.

Suddenly she didn't know if she wanted to tell him about Jay. Best case scenario, he doesn't know anything. Worst case, he hates him. But regardless, he's gonna give her crap as he does with every guy she's dated since their split.

"Hailey," he pressed, knowing being quiet wasn't her thing. "What's up?"

She sighed, knowing he would eventually make her talk. "I met this guy," she began before he cut her off.

"Hailey's got a man, damn," he joked, earning him a punch to the arm. "Oww!"

"You've been hit worse," she fired back. "Anyways, there was something about him. I've never seen him before, but he said he's been around the gym. Name is Jay."

Adam looked at her and she saw recognition in his eyes.

"My height, brown hair, green eyes?" Adam asked, getting a nod in response from Hailey. "Oh, this is gonna be fun."

"Adam," she chastised.

"Relax, I know him from work."

That statement caught Hailey off guard. Adam's job was demanding as hell, and there was no way she could picture Jay doing that. He seemed to sense her internal questioning and continued.

"He got injured a few months ago. Docs just cleared him."

"How…" Hailey questioned, and he responded before she could finish.

"You don't wanna know."

Hailey nodded slowly. She knew what Adam did and as she pieced it all together, she eliminated the previous idea she had of Jay. It took a certain man to be a cop, especially in Chicago, no less.

"You gonna go out with him?" Adam asked, taking another sip of his coffee. Hailey shrugged, not committing to an answer. She always appreciated his bluntness, but this time, it was a tad too much.

"You would be good for him," he said softly, and Hailey pondered that statement over and over again.

* * *

By the time Monday rolled around, Hailey had analyzed everything Adam told her about Jay. She didn't see him at the gym on the weekend and a small part of her hoped that maybe she would today.

But before then, she needed about a gallon of coffee to get through today. In her opinion, there wasn't enough in the world to handle the 16 small children about to run through her door. At the end of the day, she loved job and her kids, but she was far from a morning person.

"Miss Upton," she heard as she set up for the morning. She smiled and rolled her eyes. No matter how many times she told the girl working the desk to call her Hailey, it still happened.

"Yes Jillian," she answered. She didn't like small talk in the mornings. She only had so much time to get ready for the day and she needed to get as organized as she could.

"There's a new child coming in today," Jillian said, looking down at the paper in her hand. "His name is Finn, dad is dropping him off."

"Thanks Jillian," Hailey replied, taking the papers from the girl. She intended to glance over the information, looking for anything important, allergies, medical conditions, but she stopped when she saw her new student's parents. Or, should she say parent.

Hailey swore fate was out to get her because a knock came at her door and she turned around to find herself face to face with a pair of green eyes she knew well.

"Good morning!" she greeted, turning into teacher mode, hoping to be professional. She bent down, allowing herself to be eye level with the little boy hiding behind his dad's legs. "I'm Miss Hailey."

The little boy hid himself further and she looked up at Jay. He smiled down at her before urging his son forward.

"Can you tell Miss Hailey your name?" he said, his voice softer than before.

"Finn," he replied, his own voice quiet. Finn wasn't like his dad personality wise and Hailey found that sweet. But he was the spitting image of his father.

"And how old are you?" she asked. Finn didn't reply, instead holding up four fingers.

"Well you're in the right place!" A small smile began to creep across his face and Hailey's earlier thoughts may be wrong. She had a feeling this little boy was his father made over.

"Why don't you go over there," she said, pointing towards the toy box in the corner, "While I talk to your dad?"

Finn nodded before walking over, allowing Hailey to stand and watch him for a moment.

"Well this is a surprise," she heard Jay say. Turning around, she saw him smiling at her, hands shoved into his pockets.

_So much for checking for a ring, _she thought. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Hailey didn't realize she cared that much.

"So, you didn't know who I was at the gym?" she asked, crossing her arms to look him over. He didn't look like the other dads with kids in her class. She had never seen a guy wear jeans and a grey t-shirt as well as he did right now.

Jay laughed softly, breaking her out of her train of thought. He shrugged, causing his shirt to rise slightly, giving her a peak at the badge pinned to his belt.

"I swear I didn't," he answered, and Hailey could tell he was being honest. "I had no idea until I walked through that door."

"He will be in good hands," she said, feeling the need to assure him.

"I have no doubt about that," Jay replied. They fell into silence watching Finn play quietly in the corner.

"He's quiet at first," Jay said, his voice becoming softer like earlier. Something told Hailey that he used that voice only around his son. "Don't be alarmed if he keeps to himself."

"I get that," Hailey said honestly. She couldn't believe she revealed what she would say is a personal detail, but this man made her do, and think, a lot of things she normally would not.

"Anything else I need to know?" she asked, wanting to get back to being professional. Right now, she was a preschool teacher talking to her new student's dad. Not a woman who met a very attractive guy at her gym.

"I'll try and pick him up every day. I'm a detective, so it can vary. But unless we're on a time crunch, my boss lets me leave at 5 every day."

_That explains how Adam knows him,_ she thought to herself.

"Anyone else who may pick him up?" she asked. Jay nodded before continuing.

"My brother and sister-in-law may. They're both doctors at Chicago Med. On rare occasions we're all working, my sister-in-law's mother may pick him up."

Hailey glanced at the paper in her hand, the finding emergency contacts listed in the middle of the page. Will and Natalie Halstead, Finn's aunt and uncle. She saw a woman listed as Natalie's mother on the paper.

"Hank Voight?" she asked out loud. Hailey knew the name, her mind making the connection when she saw the relationship listed on the form.

She was so going to kill Adam.

"My boss. It's purely as a precaution. The school knows that anyone from my unit is authorized to get him in case…" Jay trailed off. Hailey could only nod, understanding what he was trying to say without verbalizing it.

"Is Finn's mom in the picture?" she questioned. Hailey didn't consider herself an intrusive person, but she could be the best caretaker for her kids if she knew everything.

"No," Jay said, eyes and voice hardening at the word. She expected him to elaborate, but nothing else came. The sound of a phone soon interrupted them as Jay pulled one from his pocket.

"I have to go," he said. "I'll pick him up later. Finn?"

The little boy turned and ran towards his dad. Hailey couldn't help but smile at the interaction, watching as Finn lit up at the sound of his dad's voice. Jay bent down, catching Finn in his arms and hugging him tightly.

"Love you buddy," Jay whispered, kissing his forehead softly. "Be good for Miss Hailey, okay? She's a good friend."

Hailey was about to interrupt, calling him out on the little white lie, but Finn quickly turned to her, a smile stretching wide on his face.

"Really?" he asked excitedly. Gone was the shyness she witnessed earlier and in place was the cutest kid she had ever had in her class.

"Yes," Jay replied, kissing Finn once again before standing up. "I'll call if something changes."

Before he could leave the room, Hailey made a decision she had never made before in the few years she had been teaching.

"Wait," she said, stopping him in his tracks. She bent over the table beside them, grabbing a colored pencil and paper, quickly scribbling her number on it.

"Text me if you need anything," she said, handing him the paper. Jay took it, brushing his fingers against hers. The smile on his face matched the one Finn gave her minutes ago and something told Hailey she was in trouble with these two.

"Oh, I will," Jay replied, winking at her before walking out the door.

Yep, trouble for sure.

* * *

Finn's first week was eventful, to say the least. The little boy warmed up to his classmates quickly, helped by the fact he believed his dad and teacher were best friends. By Friday, Hailey would never have guessed he just joined her class.

It would take her two days to see Jay again. True to his word, he picked Finn up at the end of the day, but Hailey didn't get a chance to speak to him, having been sucked into conversation with two of the moms.

On Finn's second day, she met Natalie and quickly realized her son Owen went to the same preschool. Pick up and drop off the third day was done by Will and if she thought Jay was trouble, Will Halstead was a different story. She could see the relation.

The rest of the week was filled with Jay, along with two run-ins at the gym, including Friday night. She just got off the treadmill when he walked up to her, causing her to stop in her tracks.

"Fancy seeing you here," Jay said, earning an eye roll from Hailey.

"Are you slacking? Haven't seen you all week," she teased.

"Long case," he replied. "Took Finn to the park last night to make up for the fact he spent two days with my brother."

Jay's usually teasing manner fell as he spoke. Hailey could see right through it, the guilt and worry that he wasn't enough for Finn. She dealt with her share of single parents, but those kids usually turned out the best.

"Hey," she said softly, placing her hand on his forearm. "You're doing the best you can, and no one can fault you for that."

Jay nodded, not saying much. Hailey squeezed his arm, trying to focus his attention back to her.

"You want to know what Finn said this morning?" she asked. Jay nodded softly, and he looked scared to see the answer.

"He told me all about your trip to the park and how you let him have ice cream before dinner. His excitement was palpable."

Hailey watched a smile spread on his face, almost like he was allowing himself to feel okay.

"Do you wanna grab a drink after?" he said suddenly. She barely gave herself time to process his question before answering.

"I'd love to."

* * *

It had been two months since Finn Halstead entered her class when it happened. That Tuesday morning had been normal for Hailey, teaching and caring for her students as she always did.

Around lunch time and midday dismissal, her boss came into her room, pulling her outside. This wasn't the first time that happened, but it usually meant something happened to a student's parent.

"What's wrong?" she asked as soon as the door closed behind her.

"One of your student's mother is here, asking to pick him up," her boss, Allison, explained. "But her name isn't on their paperwork. Just wanted to see if you knew anything."

Hailey wished she could say this type of thing wasn't normal, but it sadly was. She knew that she would be interviewing by DCFS multiple times after this.

"Who is it?" she asked. Allison looked down at a sticky note in her hands.

"Finn Halstead," Allison replied, looking back at Hailey.

It was likely the only time that name sent the bad kind of chills down her spine. She remembered Jay's reaction when she asked about Finn's mom, and it wasn't a good one. Between the small dates here and there with Jay, Finn's mom was never mentioned again.

"Mom isn't in the picture, at least that's what I've been told. I'll call Detective Halstead now." Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't refer to him as detective, but she wanted Allison to know exactly what they were dealing with.

Allison nodded. "I'll keep her busy."

Hailey sighed in relief. There was a reason this was one of the best preschools in the city, and it was because of that woman. Her student's safety came first, and Hailey knew she would buy as much time as possible to figure this out.

Pulling out her phone, she immediately found Jay's number. Ironically it was her most recent call and he didn't take much time to answer.

"Halstead," he answered.

"Jay," Hailey said, trying to keep her voice calm. It failed when she heard his rapid-fire questions.

"What's wrong? Is Finn okay?"

"He's fine," she interrupted. "But we have a problem."

"Hold on," he said. She heard doors opening and closing followed by the tell-tale sound of a car starting. "Okay, what's wrong?"

"My boss just came down to my room, said there was a woman trying to pick Finn up, but she wasn't listed on paperwork. Said she was his mother."

"Do you know what she looked like?" Jay asked, his voice getting drowned out by what she assumed was his own sirens.

"No. Finn is still in the room eating lunch. My boss is keeping her busy."

"Thank god," he muttered. "Will you stay with him? Let me handle this?"

"Of course," Hailey replied. "But, Jay…"

"Come over for dinner. I'll explain."

"Okay," she sighed. From the window across the hall, she saw his truck pull up. "Good luck."

"Thanks. I'm gonna need it. And a drink later."

"I think I can help with that," she replied. He hung up without another word and Hailey stood outside for a while, watching him practically storm into the building. She supposed this was how he looked when chasing down a suspect.

Once he disappeared, she retreated back to her room. Her assistant just smiled, letting her know everything was okay. Ten minutes hadn't passed until Jillian popped in.

"Miss Upton?" the girl asked. She was never going to learn.

"You're wanted in the office with Finn Halstead."

Hailey looked to see Finn's head perk up, watching her intently. She just held a hand out, waiting for him to run over and grasp hers like he always did. He didn't, instead taking his time and keeping his head down. They were alone when they reached the hallway, and Hailey took a second to check on him. But he beat her to the punch.

"Did something happen to my daddy again?" he asked, his voice small and scared. Hailey kneeled down, holding both his hands.

"No sweetie," she said, her heart breaking for him. He was a bright boy who knew exactly what his dad did for a living. Add in the fact Jay was shot a few months back and he was probably scared out of his mind.

"Your daddy is here. He just wanted to come see you." She tried to be positive, but Finn wasn't buying it. The walk to the office was short and sure enough right outside stood the very person they both wanted to see.

"Daddy!" Finn yelled, releasing Hailey's hand and running towards him. Jay dropped down, arms out to catch his son. Even while Hailey felt like she was intruding on a private moment, she was relieved to see everything looked to be okay. She would get the full story later.

"Hey," Hailey said, stepping forward as Jay stood up, Finn still in his arms. "Everything okay?"

Jay just nodded, reaching a hand out which she grabbed without hesitation. It may not be appropriate, but she couldn't find it in her to care at the moment. He needed this as much as she did.

"I'm gonna take him for the day," he said. "Already signed him out."

"Of course," she replied, moving to drop his hand but he squeezed hers instead, not ready to lose that connection.

"But I need my backpack Daddy," Finn said, lifting his head off Jay's shoulder.

"I'll bring it later," Hailey offered before she could think it through.

"What do you mean, Miss Hailey?" Finn asked. Both Hailey and Jay laughed, knowing nothing got passed him.

"Miss Hailey is coming over for dinner tonight," Jay said, sneaking a glance her way. She supposed he was giving her a chance to back out, but there was no way she was.

"Really?" Finn asked, a smile breaking out on his face, his head whipping from his dad to his teacher.

"I'll be there," Hailey said, squeezing his hand back, gaining a smile that matched the little boy in his arms.

* * *

"He's asleep, finally," Jay said, emerging from the hallway leading to what Hailey now knew as Finn's bedroom.

"He had a rather exciting day," she replied, settling into his couch cushions, careful not to jostle the wine glass in her hand.

Jay joined her, sitting beside her with his own beer. Dinner had been quite the affair, and both of them would be lying if they denied how natural this all felt. Jay cooking while Hailey and Finn sat at the bar, all three engaged in conversation about how the Blackhawks were doing this year.

The silence that fell between them was heavy but welcome. After the day they had, the quiet in the apartment was welcomed.

"What happened today?" Hailey whispered, breaking the silence that threatened to suffocate her. Jay sighed, knowing this was coming.

"We met when I got back from Afghanistan," Jay began. "What was supposed to be a one-time thing turned into a year before she broke things off with me. I didn't see her until she showed up at work with Finn. He was a month old and didn't even have a name."

"Jay," Hailey sighed, grabbing his hand and squeezing. "I can't imagine."

"She signed away her rights, said she never wanted this. I haven't seen her again until today."

"What did she say?"

"Some bullshit about how she was ready to be a mother. I'm more concerned with how she found him, considering I never told her his name and I've changed my number since Finn was born."

"What now?" Hailey asked. As Finn's teacher, she should know in case something happens again. As Jay's…whatever she was, she wanted to help him, in whatever way she could.

"She knows she's got no right to him. And even if she took me to court, all the evidence is against her. I think she thought she could get him and then negotiate with me. It didn't take much to get her to leave."

Hailey nodded, remembering the afternoon they had. She also remembered something Finn said on their way to meet Jay.

"Finn said something earlier," Hailey began, setting her wine glass down on the coffee table. "He asked if something happened to you, again."

Jay stared ahead, almost like he was composing himself to answer her question. Hailey couldn't tell how long had passed until he spoke again.

"I was kidnapped," he said, breaking the silence. "It was a gun deal gone wrong, suspect found out I was a cop. Finn stayed with Will for three days until they found me, and I didn't look like I was nearly beaten to death."

During his story, Hailey shifted closer to him, her hands taking his bottle from his own shaking ones. His arms came to rest on his knees, shoulders hunched as he relived that ordeal from all those months ago. Hailey rested her hand on his forearm, her other going to the back of his neck where she worked to relieve the tension there.

"It shook Finn up more than I ever could have imagined. I took two months leave to be with Finn and heal. Kid barely left my side the first two weeks. I just got him back to sleeping in his room. Every day, I struggle with whether I can continue with this job, knowing I'm putting myself at risk. Every single day during those two months, I contemplated quitting, taking a job that was less risky."

"Jay," Hailey sighed. She wasn't prepared for all that, but she felt honored that Jay felt he could share such a personal part of his life with her.

"I'm all he has," he whispered. Those four words broke something inside them both, but she would be damned if she let him think that.

"No, you're not," she said, finding her voice. "That little boy in there," she stopped, pointing down the hall towards his room, "has so many people in his life that care him and love him, myself included. Don't think for one second he wouldn't be taken care of if, god forbid, something happened to you."

Hailey started to continue her speech but was stopped when his eyes met hers, something in them she had never seen before. All she could do was stare back, her eyes meeting his as the air around them shifted.

Before she could say anything else, his lips were on hers, but not in the hard and frenzied way she fantasied about. Everything about this kiss was slow and loving, the kind that can only follow after an emotionally charged discussion like the one they just had.

His hands grasped her hips and before she could process what was happening, he pulled her towards him. Her body slid across his before she settled, straddling his hips, her hands holding onto his neck for dear life before moving lower.

"Jay," she breathed out when his lips left her own and his forehead rested against hers. Within seconds, their breathing was in sync, both having to catch their breath from what just happened. Even if neither expected it, they welcomed the turn their evening took.

"I've wanted to do that for a while now," Jay confessed. "Just haven't found the right time."

"And the right time was in the middle of a rather emotional conversation?" Hailey joked, her thumbs rubbing patters into the warm skin of his torso. At some point her hands crept under his shirt and she wasn't ready to move them.

"I've never had someone completely in my corner," he admitted. "I've never wanted to burden anyone else with my problems or Finn. Being a single father is hard enough. Being a single father and a cop? I wouldn't wish that on anybody. But you…you make it easy. You make me want to open up and share what's going through my head."

"I was serious before," Hailey said, her head dropping to look anywhere but his eyes. His confession was a big one, but she needed to get this out. One of his hands found her chin, tilting it back up so she could look at him.

"About what?" he asked softly in that voice he used for Finn. Apparently, it was for her too.

"About how he has me in his life," she began before trailing off. "And I didn't mean as just his teacher."

Her unspoken statement didn't fall on deaf ears. Jay's answer was to lean in and kiss her again, but not before whispering to her.

"You're incredible."

* * *

Things between them changed that day, and then later that night. But both of them would agree that it was for the better. Despite the change in their friendship, Hailey had barely seen him. When the next week rolled around, Jay would drop Finn off, barely say hi before leaving and Natalie or Will would pick him up. It worried her, to be honest, that maybe he was rethinking their whatever it was. He must have picked up on it, because he sent Finn in one day with donuts and followed up with a text, explaining they were in the middle of a huge case.

It was once again Friday and she just sent Finn out to his dad. He wasn't gone for more than a minute before running back in.

"Miss Hailey?" she heard Finn ask. She assumed he forgot something again, as he usually did. But she gave up reminding him, choosing instead to text Jay. And maybe she used it as an excuse to see him.

"Yes, Finn," she replied, turning around to the absolute sweetest scene. There in her doorway was Finn holding a bouquet of flowers and Jay behind him, hands shoved in his pockets but wearing the most heart melting smile.

Finn's eyes went wide before turning around to Jay, attempting to whisper but failing adorably.

"What do I say again?" he asked Jay. Both of them laughed at Finn's cuteness, Hailey watching as Jay leaned down to whisper in his ear.

"Oh, right," Finn said before turning back around to face Hailey. "Would you like to go on a date with daddy?"

Hailey stood there in shock, and a little bit of awe. She couldn't believe this was really happening. A part of her wished for this but she never expected it to actually happen. When she started this job, she told herself she would never get involved with a student's parent. Now, here she was, the cutest first date proposal ever from her guys. _Her guys_. That's what they were to her, and while she didn't know when her mind began referring to them as that, but she didn't want to stop.

"Miss Hailey?" she heard Finn ask again. He held the flowers out further, hoping maybe it would help her decide. She looked back at Jay, still smiling at her despite the nerves she saw come off him.

"I would love to," she said, walking over to accept the flowers and a hug from Finn. As she stood up, Jay took hold of her free hand, squeezing lightly as he always did.

"I was getting nervous for a second," he admitted, a smirk forming on his face.

"Did you think I would say no?" she asked. Jay chuckled a little, his eyes moving to find Finn playing in the corner.

"I think that kid over there was more worried than I was."

His statement caught her off guard. Her eyes followed his, finding Finn oblivious to what was happening between his dad and his preschool teacher. It was then that it clicked for Hailey. This relationship wasn't just between her and Jay, but her, Jay and Finn. Two hearts would be broken if this went bad, and she wasn't including her own in that count.

"He's amazing," Hailey whispered, turning back around to Jay. She loved that little boy and she was quickly on her way to falling for his dad. But would that be such a bad thing?

"So are you," Jay replied, pulling her closer to him. "So, dinner tonight, at 7? We may have a third wheel."

Hailey laughed softly, her free hand moving around his neck. "It's a date."

* * *

Their first date was unlike anything she ever had, purely because of the fact that it was very kid approved. Since then, Finn joined them on every date and both Hailey and Jay loved it. They kept it on the down low because Hailey didn't want everyone at her school to know she was dating one of her student's parents, but the school year was almost over. They would be in the clear until then.

Or so she thought.

It had been six months since they made it official. Six months of dates with Jay, and Finn, and falling more in love with the both of them. Her weekends were spent with them, going to different parks and museums around the city during the day and snuggling with both her boys at night.

But it took six months for their world to be flipped upside down.

Like every bad day, things started off normal. Jay was working undercover and with Natalie on maternity leave and Will working doubles, he asked Hailey to keep Finn for the past few days, just until it was all over. It was the first time since his kidnapping he had gone back under, and the night before he went under, he admitted everything to Hailey before she fell asleep in his arms.

It had also been the first time she ever spent the night.

She treated Finn to donuts for breakfast before the heading to school. The entire car ride was filled with him chattering about everything, from how good the donuts were to his excitement when Hailey told him what they would be doing in class that day.

When she got to school, she noticed a black SUV parked next to her usual spot and a man leaning against the hood. Something about him made the hair on the back of her next stand up and after she was parked, she turned around, silently happy to find Finn engrossed with a game on her phone.

"Hey buddy," she said, trying to keep her voice calm. "You stay in here for a minute while I talk to my friend."

Finn nodded before looking up. That was mistake number one.

"It's Uncle Hank!" he said, spotting the man outside the car. Hailey only knew of one man named Hank, and it was the same one that looked out for her boyfriend every day.

"I'll be right back," Hailey said before getting out of the car. She met Hank between their cars, her face immediately becoming cold from the Chicago wind.

"Hailey Upton?" Hank said, his voice deep and slightly menacing.

"Let me guess, Hank Voight?" she asked. If not for her nerves, she would have found the surprise on his face comical.

"Finn's in the car," she explained, watching him glance towards her own SUV.

"Then I suppose we can hold off on introductions," he said.

"What's wrong?" Hailey asked, not wanting to get off topic. Her mind was going a mile a minute, assuming the worst had happened to Jay.

"He's alive," Hank said. "Will's taking care of him at Med."

"What happened?"

Hank sighed, clearly battling whether or not she should know.

"Please," she begged, her resolve on the edge of breaking.

"I'll let him tell you," Hank said. "He just asked me to come here and get you and Finn."

Hailey nodded, wiping away the few tears that escaped. "Okay, but I need to go tell my boss and find someone to cover my class, and Finn, oh god Finn…"

"Hailey," Hank cut her off. "I just talked to your boss. You're covered for the week. Just take care of them."

Hailey nodded again, not being able to find words. She wasn't sure she was going to be able to explain to Finn what was going on.

"Can you," she began, finding her voice again. "Can you tell Finn? I wasn't around the last time and I don't know how to tell him."

Hank just nodded before guiding her back to her car. He stopped briefly to ask Hailey to go on the side not occupied by Finn, just in case.

"Hey kiddo," Hank said, a small smile crossing his face when he saw Jay's twin.

"Hi Uncle Hank!" he said, oblivious to the tension around them.

"Listen bud, Hailey is going to take you to your dad. He's back, but he's just at Chicago Med with Uncle Will getting checked out."

Finn's head turned to Hailey, his inquisitive mind noticing her red rimmed eyes.

"Is daddy okay?" he asked. Hailey watched as his bottom lip began trembling, a sign he was minutes away from crying.

"He's okay, I promise you. I just wanted to make double and triple sure of that."

Finn nodded, seemingly satisfied with Hank's answer.

"I have to go back to the district. Will you be okay getting there?" he asked Hailey. She just nodded, not wanting to move from the backseat just yet.

"Tell Halstead I'll check in later," he said, closing Finn's door. The silence that filled the car hurt her heart and she knew they had to get to Med soon.

"Ready to go see daddy?" she asked. All she got was a nod in response, but something told her Finn wouldn't be truly okay until he saw Jay with his own eyes.

The ride to Med was shorter than normal, and maybe Hailey was going a little faster than the speed limit. She supposed she could explain it later if anyone questioned her.

For the first time since she knew him, Finn refused to walk into Med. Hailey couldn't say no and carried him through the hospital, and the way his arms and legs were wrapped around her, she supposed that he needed the comfort more than she did at the moment.

Before they knew it, she was standing outside of Jay's room. She could see Will through the glass in the door, but he didn't look to be worried, instead writing his notes. Hailey knocked slightly, watching as Will lifted his head and smiled, waving them into the room.

As she walked further in, she found Jay asleep in the hospital bed. If she didn't know any better, she would say that he was just sleeping.

"Daddy?" Finn asked, his voice quiet. Jay didn't stir right away as he usually did at the sound of Finn's voice. Hailey looked to Will, suddenly worried.

"He's sedated," Will explained. "Should be waking up anytime now."

Hailey nodded again, seeing as that was all she could do today, before settling into the other empty chair beside Jay's bed. Finn's head fell to Hailey's shoulder and he was asleep not long after. She couldn't blame him after all that happened in the past hour.

"What happened?" she asked. Will sighed before picking up his own chair and moving it around to Hailey's side.

"I don't know his version of events, only why he was brought here," Will began. "He took two shots to the chest, but he was wearing a vest and they caught it. Impact caused trouble breathing. The main concern was the concussion he sustained going down and the knife he took to the shoulder."

Will's words stunned Hailey into silence. While she was beyond thankful he was alive, she couldn't help the what if's that entered into her mind. Before her, Finn was all he had. Now he had them both, and Hailey wasn't letting him go easily.

"I, I'm falling for him Will," Hailey admitted, surprising them both at her admission. "He and Finn are easily the most important people in my life. If something happened to them, I don't…"

"Hey," Will cut her off. "He's okay, you're okay and Finn is okay. That's all that matters right now."

As if he knew they were talking about him, Jay stirred in his bed. Both Will and Hailey turned to him, Hailey a bit slower with the weight of Finn in her arms.

"Welcome back, bro," Will said, standing up to move and check one of the monitors attached to Jay. Hailey reached out for Jay's hand, which he immediately took.

"I'm okay," he whispered before his eyes landed on Finn. "How's he?"

"I think Hank helped, but he's still worried. Hasn't said a word since we left school and hasn't let me go."

Jay nodded, squeezing her hand like he always did when she was worried.

"What happened?" Hailey asked, eyes welling with tears once again. Jay just shook his head, a move that scared her a little more.

"I'll explain later. Right now, I want to lay here, looking at the most beautiful woman in the room."

"Hey!" Will mocked, earning laughs from both Hailey and Jay. Ever the comic relief.

Will's voice caused Finn to stir, making Hailey take her hand back to rub back his hair from his eyes.

"Hey buddy," she whispered, kissing his forehead softly. "Your daddy is awake."

Finn turned to Jay, tears falling as he saw his dad smiling softly at him. He quickly reached out, wanting to be in his dad's arms. Hailey shot him a look, knowing he was in pain. Jay just nodded at her, his own arms reaching out for his son. Hailey did cry as soon as Finn was settled against Jay. Will slipped out of the room at some point, leaving the small family to let out the emotions of the day.

"I love you," Jay whispered to Finn, kissing his forehead and rubbing his back. Jay's own teary eyes met Hailey's as he reached out a hand to her. She took it without hesitation, allowing him to tug her to the bed. As soon as she was tucked into his good side, he leaned down to kiss her. Hailey savored every second since an hour ago, she thought she would never get to do this again. She nearly cried again when he pulled back.

"I love you," he whispered to her. During all the times she imagined this moment, never did she think that it would happen laying in his hospital bed. But hearing those words, it was pretty perfect for her.

"I love you too."

* * *

Since Jay's undercover stint that landed him in the hospital again, everything seemed to move at a rapid pace. Hailey all but moved in with Jay and Finn in the first few weeks. She told herself it was because Finn was struggling and Jay could barely move, but by the time week three rolled around, her apartment had become a glorified storage unit.

They asked her to move in, officially, two weeks later. Jay knew her lease was up soon, and it felt right to ask her. There was a lot more he wanted to ask, but he knew she wouldn't want to commit to something more serious until Finn was no longer her student. Finn was finally asleep after the excitement of the evening, allowing Hailey and Jay time to themselves.

"I have a confession to make," he admitted after a while. They were curled up on the couch, a change from the first time they ever sat on this couch together.

"What's that?" Hailey asked. Her finger tips traced patterns into his forearm. Ever since his last undercover op, she found herself having to touch him every second they were together, almost like she had to constantly check that he was okay.

"I may have had an ulterior motive to asking you to move in."

"So, if it's not for the fact that you love me, or that I adore your son, or the sex, I can't think of another reason."

Jay laughed, pulling her so she could straddle his lap. All their heavy conversations seemed to happen like this. They needed to be face to face, be able to read each other's emotions.

"Having you around has made me realize something, or rather, a lot of somethings. I'll tell you all in due time, but I want to thank you for being there for Finn. It's been easier this time around and I know it's because of you."

"Jay," Hailey began before being cut off.

"That being said, how would you feel about having a more permanent role in his life?"

Hailey froze at his question, knowing exactly what he meant.

"I know, I know, but if there's one thing that the last few months taught me, it's that I don't have to do it on my own. I would be able to go to work and do my job knowing that if something happened to me, Finn would be okay."

Tears were streaming down Hailey's face now, but the smile that spread distracted Jay from the tears.

"Yes," she whispered, bringing his mouth to hers. She never expected this to be her life, but here she was. And if they were being honest, neither wanted it any other way.

* * *

**A/N: if anyone has ideas they would like to see in this story, leave a review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to everyone for all the sweet reviews! I didn't intend for this to become anything but a one shot, so thanks to you, here's another part! As long as you all keep giving me inspiration, I will try to keep writing, so if there is anything you wanna see, let me know! **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The day was here, and quite honestly, neither of them could believe it. The entire week, Finn has been talking nonstop about today, and Hailey and Jay could fight their smiles whenever he brought it up.

It started off with too much excitement for six in the morning. Finn had a habit of bursting into their bedroom at six on the dot, not caring whether or not his dad or Hailey was awake.

Jay, however, was up this morning when he burst in, having been up most of the night wondering whether his plan for today would go as planned.

"Daddy!" Finn yelled, making Jay wonder how a person could be so alert this early.

"Hey buddy," he said, pulling him close. He couldn't believe that he was finished with preschool and in a few short months, he would be starting kindergarten. Five years really flew by, in Jay's opinion, and he had a feeling the next ten would go by just as quickly.

"Can we wake Miss Hailey up?" Finn asked, snuggling close to Jay. It felt weird to them to hear Finn call Hailey "Miss Hailey", but they decided it would be better to wait until he was out of preschool before dropping the miss.

"Sure buddy," he said, knowing the kid had become their own personal alarm clock. Jay turned to his side, watching as Finn crawled over to where Hailey was still asleep.

"Miss Hailey," he asked, his voice quieter than before. She didn't budge, something Jay knew quite well. She could sleep through anything, where Jay woke up if the neighbor's door opened.

He watched as Finn crawled on top of her, his face inches from hers.

"Miss Hailey," he dragged out. If she didn't wake up soon, they would have a very upset five-year-old on their hands this morning.

Jay watched as she finally moved, wrapping her arms around Finn and hugging him tightly. Finn's face was turned the other way, giving Jay a chance to smile at his girlfriend, thinking once again how thankful he was to have her in their lives. Finn snuggled against her and Jay took a minute to burn the memory in his mind. She loved his son so much, and every single thing stressing him melted away as he watched them.

"What day is it?" Hailey asked, moving up against the headboard as Finn sat on her legs.

"You know what today is," Finn teased back, giggling as Hailey tickled his stomach.

"It's Friday, right?" she asked innocently. Jay just nodded, going along with what she was doing.

"It is," he piped up, nearly earning him a glare from his son.

"It's my last day of preschool!" Finn yelled, causing Jay and Hailey to wince at the shrillness of his voice.

"That's right, it is!" Hailey said, matching his excitement. "But we've got to get ready first."

Finn nodded excitedly before scrambling off the bed to run back to his room. Jay and Hailey had to laugh, loving that he was excited about the day. Neither of them was ready, because it meant he was growing up, a thought they weren't ready to accept.

"Do you want to jump in the shower first?" Hailey asked, rolling to her side to face Jay. "I can go get him ready."

"Nah," he replied, crawling over to her before hovering over her body. He took a second to memorize her this way, her blonde hair spread over the pillow and without a trace of makeup on. "I want some time with him this morning."

Hailey nodded before leaning up to kiss him. She knew he wasn't ready for today and could understand wanting these last few moments of him as a preschooler. He also wanted a few spare minutes to talk to Finn about their plan for the day, but Hailey didn't know that.

"We need to leave in about an hour and a half," Hailey said, sliding out of bed to head towards the bathroom. "Am I taking him with me still?'

Jay just nodded, remembering he had to go in to work for a few hours before Finn's preschool graduation this afternoon. He sat on the edge of the bed, watching as Hailey made her way to the bathroom. As she walked past, he grabbed her hand, pulling her to stand between his legs.

"Hey," he began, his voice soft. "I love you."

Hailey smiled, knowing her boyfriend had a habit of telling her he loved her at the most unsuspecting of moments. It was one of the things she loved about him. They could be driving home from whatever and he would tell her, or while unloading groceries from the car.

As she looked down at him, she noticed something different, something new, about his expression. It looked like the one he always wore whenever Finn was around, but he never looked at her that way. Not that she was upset, he just looked at her in a way that showed mutual love and respect, and sometimes something a little more, not PG-13. But this was new for her, and she wasn't complaining.

"I love you, too," she replied, leaning down to kiss him for the second time that morning. "Is everything okay?"

The words tumbled out of her mouth, but she had to ask. She wouldn't lie, there was part of her that worried about what would happen when Finn was no longer her student. Would the attraction to his son's teacher wear off? Would they have a different dynamic? It was a constant battle in her mind, but she had to get through today before feeling like she needed to reevaluate her relationship.

"Yeah, just not ready for him to grow up," Jay replied honestly. "I feel like time has flown with him, and if I'm being honest, even more so with you."

Hailey could only nod, the emotion of the morning becoming too much. Holding his hands in hers, she squeezed tightly, whispering another "I love you" before heading to the shower. Today was going to be rough.

* * *

The dozens of screaming kids were a needed distraction to Jay at the moment. Graduation had gone off with a hitch, and now he was just waiting for his own kid and his girlfriend. As much as he wanted nothing more than to grab onto her to ground himself for the onslaught of emotion, he knew that she wanted to keep things quiet around the other parents.

"Daddy!" Jay suddenly heard and before he knew it, Finn was running at him full speed. But before he could do anything else, a pair of arms scooped up the energetic little boy.

"Hey! I thought I was your favorite!" Adam said, hugging him tightly. Finn giggled, his laughter causing everyone else in their little group to laugh as well. The unit, rather Voight, had surprised Jay this morning, telling him they were all cleared for the afternoon to go to Finn's graduation. It took a lot for Jay to not get emotional, because his unit was just as much Finn's family as his own brother was. He was also sure it was quite the sight for the other parents when six other police officers walked in with Jay for a preschool graduation.

"Daddy said you shouldn't have favorites," Finn replied, wiggling to get out of Adam's arms.

"Well your daddy is wrong," Adam sassed back, earning a glare form Jay.

"But if I had to pick a favorite," Finn said, causing Jay to groan and roll his eyes. "It would be Uncle Hank."

Even Jay had to give this one to Finn, because the look on Adam's face at getting passed up for his boss was priceless. He was so engrossed in the laughter that he barely felt the hand on his back.

"Hey," Hailey whispered, sneaking up behind him as to not draw much attention. "You okay?"

Jay turned to kiss her forehead, knowing that was the closest he would get to kissing her while they were here. "I am now. But Adam is upset that Hank is Finn's favorite."

Hailey laughed as well. She loved the antics of this group, and it was almost ironic that they could be so goofy when they had the highest clearance rate in the city and the department. They made her feel at ease with and had since the second she met them all as Jay's girlfriend. Sure, she knew Adam, but that was all. That was the extent of her interactions with Intelligence. But she could understand why Jay was so fond of all of them, and why he considered them family as much as Will and Natalie were.

"Can I still steal you away before dinner?" Jay asked, bringing her back to the present. She nodded, but soon realized Jay wasn't looking directly at her when she heard her name again.

"Yeah, of course," she answered, turning to look at him smiling down at her.

"I also promised a certain graduate a stop for ice cream before we meet anyone. Can I steal you away for that?" Jay said.

"When?"

"Now," Jay said, causing Hailey to be completely surprised.

"I suppose," she replied, suddenly nervous. She wasn't sure why the nerves suddenly took over, but they were there. Hailey had suspected Jay was off all day and the thoughts plaguing her mind over the past few weeks were back. She would admit that Jay loved her, and Finn loved her maybe even more, and if Jay was going to break up with her, it wouldn't be on such a monumental day.

On the other hand, a small part of her was screaming the opposite. Every romance novel and movie she had ever seen told her one thing: nervous and weird guys always proposed. Whenever the thoughts crossed her mind, she pushed them away. Part of her didn't feel she was ready for that, but an even bigger part thought maybe she was. She had a job she loved, a man she loved and an energetic kid who she thought of as her own.

"Come on," Jay said, grasping her hand in his own, tugging her along. Finn seemed to be in tune with what was happening and followed along. Hailey barely had a moment to say goodbye to everyone before being dragged down the hallways of the school. It took her a moment before realizing that she was heading towards her own classroom.

"Jay?" she asked, the nerves suddenly getting the best of her. But when he looked back at her with the most heart melting smile ever, she felt more relaxed.

"So, I may have lied," he began, causing Hailey to raise an eyebrow. "We're not getting ice cream."

"We're not?" Finn interrupted, turning to his dad with the cutest pout.

"Maybe later buddy," he told Finn. "But we've gotta do something else first right?"

Jay looked at Hailey, and her heart started beating faster. Finn seemed to catch on quickly because his eyes lit up.

"Oh!" he said before jumping up and down. "We're getting a puppy?"

Hailey had to laugh at that, even more when she caught sight of Jay's stressed face. This wasn't going how he wanted at all.

"We have to ask Miss Hailey first, right?" Finn asked. Jay reached down to pick Finn up, bringing his son to eye level.

"Well I was thinking more along the line of asking Hailey how she feels about you calling her something else." Jay looked over at her, nerves taking over his face. Finn simply looked back and forth at the two adults before recognition dawned on him.

"Like mommy?" Finn asked, his voice quiet and nervous. If she wasn't holding her breath, Hailey may have sobbed right then and there.

"Like mommy," Jay repeated. "What do you say Hails?"

"Are you," she began, finding part of her voice. Jay cut her off, noticing that she was too choked up to speak.

"How would you feel about being Finn's mom, officially and forever?"

Hailey could only nod, not even stopping to think about anything else. She quickly walked towards her boyfriend and now, her son, before hugging them both. She needed the closeness, but it wasn't lost on her as to how everything was coming full circle. Here she was, Jay asking her to share his son with her forever in the very place she met them for the first time.

"Thank you," Jay whispered, kissing her forehead again. Hailey reached up, grasping Jay's hand that was holding Finn up, reveling in how they were all suddenly connected.

"Thank you for giving me this family," Hailey replied.

"Thanks for being my mommy," Finn said. Hailey fought her tears again, leaning over to kiss Finn's cheek.

"But now can we get a puppy?" he asked, causing both of his parents to laugh. Leave it to their five-year-old to take a serious moment and turn it silly.

"We will see," Jay said. "But first, we've got to meet everyone for dinner."

"And ice cream?" Finn asked.

"And ice cream," Hailey finished, deciding she would let it slide today.

* * *

As they walked into the restaurant 20 minutes later, Jay was relieved that everything went as planned. He wasn't sure if Hailey was ready for this step, but the entire time he sat at Finn's graduation, every moment of Hailey and Finn flashed through his mine. To him, it was a no brainer, and as he watched them walk towards the table in the back, he pulled Hailey back to him, her back colliding with his front as Finn ran ahead.

"Are you sure about this?" Jay asked. He still couldn't believe this and would ask her ten more times that day.

"I've never been surer," she replied.

"Okay," he said. "We're signing the papers Monday."

"What?" Hailey said, turning around to face him. It seemed like a quick turnaround for something as major as adoption.

"I've had this planned for months," he explained. "My lawyer assured him that all we need to do is sign everything and you're officially a mom."

"Well okay then," she answered. "But only if you are sure."

"I've never been surer," Jay repeated her earlier words before kissing her. He knew this was one of the last moments they would have together for the next few hours. Jay had a feeling they would be having a sleepover in their bedroom tonight with a certain five-year-old and it would be sometime until he got Hailey to himself.

He soon pulled away and guiding Hailey back to where everyone was waiting. It didn't take long to hear the excited voices of their family. When thinking about it as "their family," Jay wasn't as freaked out as the idea may have made him a year or so ago. Hailey just fit so seamlessly that a question as big as this was a no brainer.

Both took a moment before walking further into the restaurant. Jay could see the rest of their family from where he stood and he couldn't fight the smile that formed as he watched Finn run around the table, teasing Adam and Kevin, with Owen following right behind him. Looking down, his vision was filled with the same blonde curls he usually woke up to, just tamer this time. Every single person that matter to Jay was right here and that pulled at something in his heart.

"Come on," he said, stepping around her. He squeezed her hand after it wrapped around his own, pulling Hailey along with him. Jay turned towards her as she felt him brush against his side, leaning down so only she would hear his next words.

"The sooner we get through this, the sooner I get you home."

* * *

It felt like midnight by the time they got home, even though it was barely nine. Hailey tried to be quiet when opening the front door, holding it open as Jay carried a sleepy Finn in.

"I'll go put him down," Jay whispered, nodding his head towards Finn's bedroom. Hailey nodded in response, but as Jay moved, she stopped him.

"Jay," she said quietly. "Let him sleep with us. I…" she began, causing Jay to walk back towards her, noticing her eyes tearing up. "I want him close to us."

"Love you," Jay replied before disappearing to Finn's room. Hailey walked to their own bedroom, taking her earrings off along the way. It hit her then what an emotional toll today had taken on her, but in a good way. It had been all good things, even after her emotions had been all over the place recently. Exhaustion settled into her bones as she walked to the bathroom, grabbing the old shirt of Jay's and shorts she slept in.

It didn't take her long to wash her face and change clothes, and as she walked back to the bedroom, Jay was walking in with Finn, who was now in his pajamas. She met Jay halfway, reaching out to take Finn from him.

"Get in bed, I'll lay him down."

Hailey shook her head, not taking no for an answer. Jay handed him to her, watching for a moment as she hugged him closely. He knew that every time he witnessed a moment like this, he would be grateful that she was Finn's teacher and that she wanted to be his mom. She was in this for the long haul, as was he, and nothing sounded better to him than that.

By the time Jay walked back from the bathroom, he found Hailey snuggled up in bed with Finn beside her. He smiled at Hailey as he joined her and their son in bed, moving over towards them. Hailey turned onto her side, her arm reaching out to rest on his bare waist. She tapped her fingers against his abdomen a few times, her silent signal that she wanted his hand. He obliged, first playing with her fingers before intertwining them with his own.

"You okay?" he asked softly, even though nothing could wake Finn up now.

"I'm happy," she answered honestly. Jay squeezed her hand before smiling at her.

"Not as happy as me," he replied.

"Now I don't know about that," Hailey teased. She quickly got serious when she caught on to how serious he was.

"I never thought I would ever be able to give him a mom. After everything with his mom," he paused for a moment. "I didn't want to subject him to that kind of pain. And after I lost my mom, I really didn't want to have him go through that. But you, Hailey. I never realized how much he was missing without one, and after seeing him with you, it was a no brainer. I love you so much that when I started thinking about asking you, it didn't scare me anymore. If anything, it feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

She squeezed his hand back, hoping some of the tears in her eyes would go away. But after seeing the emotion in his own, it felt right.

"I love you," she whispered. "And I love you," she whispered to Finn, kissing his forehead.

Jay stayed awake after she fell asleep, wanting to commit this moment, this day, to memory. It was everything and being able to share it with Hailey for the rest of their lives, he would admit he was a lucky man. He would ask her the other question, the one that was arguably more important to them, but for now, he was content with where they were in life and their relationship. And as he fell asleep, the thought that Finn would wake up with both his mom and dad made the smile that had been on his face all day become permanent.


	3. Chapter 3

"Mommy?"

Hailey turned around, finding a still sleepy Finn standing in the doorway of the kitchen. She had to admit that she was still getting used to that word, but it never stopped her from smiling every time she heard it.

"Morning sleepy head," she replied. She laughed as he stumbled his way around the island in the kitchen, barely reaching his arms up to be held. His half-asleep state caused him to be heavier than normal, but Hailey didn't care. She didn't think there would ever be a time when she didn't oblige his requests to be held or snuggled.

"Where's daddy?" he asked, his head resting on her shoulder while she held him against her.

"Daddy got called into work," she explained. "But I thought we could go surprise him with lunch?"

Finn's head shot off her shoulder, the five-year-old suddenly wide awake, his grin infectious to her all the time.

"Really?" he asked, eyes wide with excitement. Hailey nodded at him, tossing him gently on her hip, earning giggle from the little boy.

"Really really," she exaggerated. "And you can see everyone there!"

"I gotta get dressed!" he said as he tried to wiggle out of Hailey's arms. She held him tighter, walking towards one of the stools at the island. As she sat him down, he tried to break free from her, but she stopped him quickly.

"Not just yet, cause you need breakfast." She couldn't help herself from smiling. He was just like his father, ambitious as always.

"Plus," she began, "lunch isn't for almost four hours. So, we have time to kill before then."

She watched Finn think it over while she finished making eggs. It hit her then how lucky she was, watching her son, as strange as that was to think about, while she made breakfast and sipped on her coffee. The one thing that could make this better was if Jay were with them, standing beside her as they watched Finn ramble on about school or his favorite show.

"Can I bring Daddy a present?" he said after a while. Finn had been silently eating his breakfast for the past few minutes, still pondering what he wanted to do.

"I think he would love that," Hailey said, her heart swelling even more because of this little boy. "What are you thinking?"

She knew he already had the idea, he just needed her approval first. Another way he was just like his father, they both wanted to please her every second of every day.

"You know the photo on his desk?" Finn asked. Hailey just nodded, knowing exactly what he was talking about. it was Jay and Finn when Finn was a baby, both decked out in Cubs gear.

"I think he needs a new picture, one with you in it. Because you're part of our family."

The world was so simple to him, and Hailey appreciated that every day, but not as much as Jay did. In his line of work, there was nothing simple, and everything was dark and messy. Finn was the biggest bright spot in his life, something Hailey knew to be true. After every bad case, he never failed to hold Finn a little tighter, let the little boy fall asleep between them.

"I think he would love that," Hailey smiled. "You want to find one on my phone? And we can get it printed and framed?"

Finn nodded, shoving the last bit of eggs into his mouth. Hailey barely had time to yell to him to be careful before he was jumping off the stool and running to her room.

She wouldn't deny that the sound of little feet running around pulled at her heart, reminding her of a recent conversation. It had been about a month ago that Jay brought up kids and she wouldn't deny that had been on her mind for a while now. If was being honest, the second she and Jay became serious, the idea of having a baby with him was almost always at the forefront of her mind. Finn would be the best big brother, but work had been a lot for them both right now, so the idea of another kid was put on the backburner.

"Mommy," Finn yelled. She saw him seconds later rounding the corner from the hallway, running towards her with her phone outstretched in his hands.

"Daddy called you," he told her, crawling onto the couch where she sat beside him. Being the smart kid he is, he flipped the TV from the news to one of his favorite shows. This was why summer was her favorite, she could just relax for a few months with no students. Now, she got a taste of how summer would be for the rest of her life, sitting here with Finn and any other kids they may have while Jay was off fighting the bad guys, as Finn always said.

Just as Finn said, Jay had called her, and texted her when she clearly hadn't replied.

_Stop by the district later,_ he sent.

"Okay," she whispered to herself as she typed out the same word. It was barely after she hit send that she got a reply.

_Bring Finn. Everything is okay. _

She had to smile at his words. He knew before she did that if he didn't say everything was okay that she would worry nonstop. Even while her worrying about him was nothing new, it still didn't stop her, but now, given their circumstances, she would always worry about him and whether he would come home at night.

"Guess what?" she asked Finn, needing to shake her mind off all images of Jay being hurt.

"What mommy?" he asked, her heart swelling at his sweet voice.

"Daddy wants us to stop by the station later."

"Really?" he asked again. It was almost like he didn't remember they were already going.

"Really really," Hailey repeated. "So, let's get dressed and find a picture and we can go!"

Finn jumped off the couch and sprinted towards his room with Hailey following behind him. This was the kind of thing she could get used to everyday, even when it was already her life.

* * *

"Where is daddy?" Finn asked for maybe the tenth time. If it was one of her students, maybe she would be slightly annoyed, but not at him. Plus, he always loved visiting Jay at work, so the fact that they were both here and there was no sign of Jay, his constant questioning was okay.

"Miss Trudy said they would be back soon," she told him. Trudy told her that maybe 15 minutes ago when they got here, explaining that Jay was out on an errand while everyone else was hunting down leads. Hailey knew their current case well and she wasn't worried. But it seemed odd that he wasn't with the rest of the team.

At first, her ears perked up at Jay being out on an errand, and her suspicions furthered as Trudy looked like she wasn't supposed to say anything. Her mind went to thoughts of shiny things that meant so much more than being pretty. If Jay asked her, she knew without a doubt she would say yes, but unlike their discussion of kids, they hadn't really talked about marriage. She knew it would happen for many reasons, but she wouldn't lie and say that there weren't times when she wondered if their dynamic would always include different last names.

"Mommy?" Finn said, breaking her from her train of thought.

"Yes buddy," she replied, turning him from where he was perched on Jay's desk.

"Should we call him?" he asked, and Hailey quickly began nodding at his suggestion.

"That sounds like a great idea," she said, pulling out her cell phone and finding Jay's contact. She handed Finn the phone, turning the speaker on so she could hear too. It rang twice, but there was no answer. Instead, she heard a phone ringing, the sound getting louder with each second.

"That may be daddy right there," she told Finn, moving to pick him up off of Jay's desk. Sure enough, she spotted Jay coming up the stairs. She stood to meet him, anxious to know why he requested their presence and what his errand was, but the closer he got to the floor of the bullpen, her questions grew.

"Jay?" she asked, staring at him while Finn made a beeline for his dad.

"A PUPPY!" Finn nearly screamed, and Hailey would be willing to best the people in holding cells downstairs could have heard him.

"Hey guys," Jay finally said, nerves in his eyes as he looked at Hailey. They locked eyes, Hailey reading the apology in his own before questioning, well, everything.

"So, I found out some news today, but first, meet Ranger," Jay said, tugging lightly on the German Shepard's leash to reference who he was talking about, causing the dog to tilt his head up at Jay.

"Hi Ranger," Finn said, standing beside his dad and gently petting the dog's head. They heard the little boy giggle after as Hailey saw Ranger's tongue escape and lick Finn's hand.

"Ranger?" Hailey asked, questioning the dog's name and the fact that was what Jay was during his time in the military. He seemed to understand what she was getting at, laughing lightly.

"I didn't name him, his trainer did," he replied.

"Uh huh," Hailey mumbled, crossing her arms while she looked at Jay. He still wasn't getting to the elephant, rather, dog in the room.

"Babe," Jay said, walking towards her with both Finn and Ranger following behind him.

"Jay," she replied, her tone implying she wasn't annoyed, just confused about what was going on.

He just nodded before turning to look at Finn. "Hey bud, why don't you go sit in my chair? I need to talk to mommy."

"Can Ranger come?" he asked. The boy was already crazy about the dog.

"He can sit beside you," Jay told him, letting go of Ranger's leash. They both watched Finn jump into Jay's chair, Ranger following obediently before laying his head on Finn's legs.

"Okay," Hailey said, walking back to sit on top of Jay's desk, crossing her arms to show him she meant business.

"So, the 21st was next on a list to get a K9," he explained. "And someone thought it was a great idea to give one to Intelligence."

"So, the unit now has a dog?" Hailey asked, watching as Jay now avoided her eyes.

"Well…"

"We now have a dog," she concluded, Jay confirming her thoughts by nodding.

"Hails," he said softly, stepping towards her, one of his legs wedging between hers. His hands reached for hers, grasping them as he uncrossed her arms.

"I just found out this morning. And I've used them before when I was in the Army, so they preferred to give him to me. I think I'm the only one they trust to keep him alive."

His joke fell flat as Hailey sighed, fully knowing this dog was coming home with them. If she was being honest, she never had a problem with it, it was just a shock after her mind had been racing all day with what Jay needed to tell her.

"Babe, I didn't mean to spring this on you. I just thought it was better to have you guys come here and meet him before I brought him home," Jay explained. She thought he was nervous, that she was mad at him, but as she looked to her left to watch Finn and Ranger become best friends, her heart melted and there was no denying their family just got a little bigger.

"Well, Finn has been asking for a dog," she said, turning back to Jay, smiling softly. He quickly returned her smile, pulling her closer as he kissed her forehead.

"Voight let me go early, said I should get this one acquainted with you two," he said, tilting his head towards Ranger. "And we need to go to the pet store."

"You've got that right, Halstead," Hailey shot back, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Cause he needs a bed. He's not sleeping in our bed."

Jay laughed at her, digging out his phone to capture the moment between his son and his new dog. The sounds of the camera shutter caused Finn's head to look up, a look of worry suddenly crossing his features.

"Buddy, what's wrong?" Jay asked. He couldn't see anything wrong, but as inquisitive as he is, it could be anything.

"Mommy, we can't give daddy his present," he said. Jay looked at Hailey, who was equally as confused as he was.

"Why not?"

"Because Ranger isn't in it," he answered, fumbling over the dog's name in a way only a five-year-old can. "So, we need another picture."

Hailey just nodded, agreeing with him and his logic, because he was right. Ranger was now family, and a new family picture for Jay's desk wouldn't be complete without the dog.

"I think we can fix that," Jay jumped in, sending Hailey a quick wink. He turned to walk to one side of Finn, Hailey understanding him as she moved to the opposite side. Jay flipped his camera around, squatting down next to Finn and Ranger, Hailey copying his movements.

"Turn around buddy," Hailey said softly to Ranger, the dog listening to her as if she were his handler and not Jay.

"Good boy," she whispered before turning to smile at the camera. To Jay's surprise, everyone, even Ranger, was smiling and he wouldn't lie and say that didn't become his phone background instantly.

"Perfect," he said, tickling Finn while Hailey scratched Ranger behind his ears. And to him, he wasn't just talking about the photo.

* * *

It had been close to a month since Ranger became part of their family, and the dynamic was easy to adjust to. The only change was the disappointment Finn felt when Ranger left with Jay in the morning, something that both adults tried not to laugh about.

The one difference was that now Jay had weekends off when Intelligence weren't in the middle of a case. Ranger need time off, which meant Jay got some too. No one would hide their excitement with that change, even if it took some adjusting.

Their Saturday mornings always started the same with Finn running into their bedroom the second he wakes up. Except now, the sound of his running feet was followed by paws padding on the hardwood.

"Someone's up," Jay mumbled, moving further down the bed, turning his head into Hailey's side. She squirmed as she felt the stubble on Jay's face scrape against the spot where her shirt rode up.

"Are you ever going to shave?" she asked, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw. He shook his head no, causing Hailey to laugh at his motions. Jay eventually took pity on her, soothing her sensitive skin with kisses and Hailey had to hold back the moan threatening to escape.

"Jay," she said as he pushed up her shirt, exposing the skin of her stomach. "They'll be in here soon."

"I'll lock the door," he mumbled, continuing on his mission to torture her. He stopped when he reached the spot just above her pajama shorts, looking up at her to find Hailey gazing down at him.

"You ever think about it?" he asked, knowing he didn't need to elaborate. Hailey just nodded as he kissed her stomach once again before pushing up on his arms, moving until he was face to face with her.

"I know we said we would wait," Hailey began. "But there's nothing more I want that another little baby that looks like you."

"Me too," Jay replied, kissing her softly. "Why did we say we would wait?"

Before Hailey could answer, the sound of a little boy yelling her name caused her to smirk at Jay.

"That's one of the reasons," she said as the door swung open. "Good morning!"

Finn jumped onto the bed, crawling towards Hailey as Ranger begged Jay to be pet.

"Can we go to the park today?" Finn asked, immediately jumping into it.

"Buddy it's eight in the morning," Jay reasoned.

"So?" Finn asked. "Ranger needs a walk anyways."

Hailey shot Jay a look, while Jay glared at her in return. This kid was trouble.

"You need breakfast first," Jay explained. "And I have to check and see if I have to go into work."

"Does Ranger have to go too?" Finn asked, knowing what the answer would be.

"Probably buddy, but we can worry about that later."

"How about waffles?" Hailey jumped in, knowing Jay needed an out. He whipped his head around to face her, his eyes lighting up.

"With chocolate chips?" he asked. Hailey nodded in return.

"Well what are waffles without chocolate chips? Go brush your teeth and meet me in the kitchen."

Finn jumped off the bed, leaving Hailey, Jay and Ranger behind, the dog curling up as Jay continued to pet him.

"Thanks for that," Jay said. "I hate breaking his heart."

"He knows it's your job," Hailey reasoned, reaching to pet the dog herself. "All the more reason we should consider giving him a sibling."

"I'll make you a deal," Jay said, sitting up as Hailey followed him, turning to face him. "By this time next year, we'll have a baby."

"That doesn't sound like much of a deal," she replied.

"Okay, let's call it a promise then. Deal?"

Instead of replying, Hailey leaned over, kissing him softly, letting him know how much his promise meant to her. She was beyond ready for a baby, a mini version Jay no less. She could see herself being surrounded by boys, heck she already was if you counted Ranger.

"Then you better start working on that, Halstead," she whispered, sliding out of bed but not before trailing her fingers over that sensitive spot just above his waistband that she knew made him crazy.

"Demanding woman," he groaned, listening to her laugh as she walked down the hall.

* * *

Despite their resistance, an hour later they were all on their way to the park, hand in hand with Ranger walking obediently beside Jay. The close location of Jay's apartment made it convenient, maybe a little too much, to walk to the park on weekends, which also happened to be Finn's favorite thing ever.

"What do you want to do first?" Hailey asked as they waited to cross the street. Finn looked up at her, pretending to think even though she knew what his answer was going to be.

"Can we go to the big field and play with Ranger?"

Hailey looked up at Jay, who was trying not to laugh at their son's predictability. The boy wanted any chance to play with his dog, as he liked to say, and Jay would oblige his request every time.

"Let's go," Jay said, turning to walk towards the field in question. They watched as Finn ran ahead and Jay could feel Ranger's excitement too. He laughed, this dog was as enamored as Finn was.

"You can go too, buddy," he told Ranger, unclipping his leash and letting him run towards where Finn was in the field.

"They are two are two peas in a pod," Hailey commented, her hands wrapping around Jay's upper arm as she leaned in closer, the wind picking up slightly. He felt her shiver, the Chicago wind beginning to pick up and signal the arrival of fall.

"Thanks," he told her, turning to kiss her forehead before looking back at his son and his dog.

"For what?" she asked.

"For this, all of it."

He didn't need to elaborate more, and Hailey didn't need him too. She knew what he was talking about and that was all that needed to be said. Life was great, incredible even, to Jay, and he didn't want that to be disrupted.

That thought was soon dismissed as he heard his phone ring. He groaned, knowing it was his work phone, not his personal.

"Halstead," he answered, the disdain clear in his voice. It was Saturday, his day off, and he was only called if it was absolutely necessary.

"I'll be there in ten," he replied, his voice sharp and demanding, something Hailey never really heard from him. But she could tell whatever this was, it was serious.

"Active shooter and hostage situation," he replied, turning to face her wide eyed. "I'm gonna walk you home and get my truck. Stay there until I tell you."

Hailey just nodded, unsure of what to do. In all the times Jay's been called away for a case, never has it been this immediate, and the urgency of his tone and tension in his shoulders worried her.

"Finn! Ranger!" he yelled across the field. "Let's go!"

Ranger ran back immediately, understanding the urgency in his handler's tone. Finn was a different story.

"But daddy," Finn whined, only running to run after Ranger.

"No," he snapped, cursing himself for snapping at his son. He would apologize later, but right now he needed to get them home and get to the scene.

"We can come back later," Hailey said, trying to console the little boy who seemed to be on the verge of tears. She picked him up, knowing they would get home quicker is someone was carrying him. Jay quickly clipped Ranger's leash back to his collar before grabbing Hailey's hand to lead them back.

The walk back to Jay's apartment went by in a blur, likely as Hailey was preoccupied with whatever was about to happen. She didn't know anything else about this, and she could see Jay was wired to leave. He led them into their building and into the parking garage, not once letting go of her hand.

"In," he told Ranger after opening the back door to his truck. The dog obliged immediately, Jay grabbing his vest before shutting the door.

"Do not leave," he told her again. Hailey just nodded, not ready for him to leave. She watched him quickly strap his vest on and switch on his radio, the silence between them suddenly broken by the sound of chatter over the radio. Hailey felt herself hold Finn closer, wanting to do her part for Jay and protect them both.

"I love you," she said suddenly, her voice breaking as the fear took over.

Jay didn't say anything in response, just pulled her closer and suddenly his lips were on hers. It was hard, desperate but she could feel every emotion from him in that moment. Hailey knew without a doubt that he was going to come home to them, he was going to fight to stay alive.

"I love you, too," he whispered, his forehead resting against hers. He turned to Finn, kissing him on his forehead before turning to his truck. Finn had been silent the entire time, and Hailey didn't know if he fully understood what was happening, or if he was shutting down like he did whenever he thought his dad was hurt.

"Come on," she told him, walking towards the elevator. "Let's get something to eat and we can put a movie on, okay?"

"Okay Mommy," he said, surprising Hailey by not shutting down. "Daddy is going to be okay."

"Are you a little mind reader?" she asked, jostling him lightly to lighten the mood. He giggled a little, causing her heart to swell at how far he had come since the beginning.

"Ranger is with him, and he won't let Daddy get hurt."

The logic was so simple, and while Hailey would never tell him that the world didn't work that way, she would hold onto that today. Because Finn's belief that the dog would protect Jay was good enough for her to have faith that he would walk through their front door later.

"Well I can't argue with that," she told him. "What do you want to watch?"

* * *

The number of times she had looked at the time on her phone was bordering on obsessive. It was nearing 11 pm and almost two hours ago she got the text she had been waiting for, Jay was okay and coming home. If she hadn't been with Finn, she would have cried but she didn't want to explain to Finn why.

She had been trying to keep him up, knowing both Jay and Finn would want to see each other. They had watched more Disney movies than she could count, ate so much pizza and chocolate that she was sure she would be working that off the next few weeks.

"Mommy?" Finn asked, his voice soft. He was fighting sleep since she told him Jay was on his way home, and Hailey could see he was losing that battle.

"Yes?"

"I thought Daddy was coming home," he mumbled. As if on cue, Hailey heard the lock on the door and sat up.

"I think he's here," she told him, reaching down to pick him up. His head fell on her shoulder, but as far as she could tell he was still awake.

Jay met her halfway down the hall, and her heart broke to see him this way. He looked like he aged 10 years, and she noticed a few butterfly stitches along his hairline she would ask about later. The exhaustion from the day radiated off him and all she wanted to do was make him sleep for two days.

"Hey," she whispered. She looked him over once more, finding specks of blood on his shirt she knew wouldn't come out. As her eyes reached the floor, she found Ranger with a white bandage around his front, right leg.

"What happened?" she asked. He just shook his head, not wanting to talk about it now. Instead, he reached out, taking Finn in his arms and hugging the little boy close. Hailey took the moment to bend down, scratching Ranger behind his ears.

"You're not allowed to get hurt," she told him, earning what Finn always said was a smile from Ranger. "You need to help me keep these boys in line."

She heard Jay chuckle slightly, glad that her joke released some of his tension.

"Love you Daddy," Finn whispered. Hailey was about to cry at the sight of her boys as Jay turned to kiss Finn.

"I love you too, so, so much," he replied.

"Let's get to bed," Hailey said, walking towards their bedroom. "You too, buddy," she motioned to Ranger. This was one night she would let it slide and let him sleep with them.

"I need to shower," Jay said. Finn was now out like a light as Jay set him in the middle of their bed.

"Go get in and I'll come join you," she told him, pulling the covers back to tuck Finn in. "Help him first," she motioned to Ranger who was too exhausted to jump up on the bed.

Jay nodded, picking up the dog and setting him on the bed. "You did good today, bud," he told him, scratching him on his head.

Hailey followed Jay into their bathroom, stripping her pajamas off as Jay turned the water on. The only sound in the bathroom was the water hitting the tile as Jay got undressed himself, handing Hailey his blood-stained shirt without a word, clearly not wanting to see it anymore. She took it without another word, tossing it in their laundry hamper before stepping into the shower behind him.

She stepped close to him, wrapping her arms around his torso and hugging him tight. His hands grasped hers, squeezing them softly. Neither knew how long they stood there under the hot water before the silence was broken.

"I love you," he told her, turning around to face her. His hand reached to brush some of her wet hair from her face.

"I love you, too," she said. "Do you have to go to work tomorrow?"

"No," Jay said, shaking his head. "Voight gave me until Tuesday, but I think I'm going to take the week. I have the days."

Hailey wouldn't argue with him. She couldn't remember the last time he took time off willingly, and if he was doing so now, something happened to him today.

"What happened?" she asked, voicing her thoughts.

Jay was quiet, moving to lean on the wall, clearly needing to use something to keep him upright. He was fighting sleep, and Hailey could only guess because sleep meant his demons, which meant nightmares.

"This guy was sick," he said quietly. "Not just because he did this, but the reasoning behind it. Just when I think I have seen it all, things like this happen."

Hailey couldn't say anything, just stepped closer to him, trying her best to let him know she was there. His hands cradled her face in a way that, at first, always baffled her. These same hands that treated her with such care, that held his son so gently, captured men that deserved to rot in a cell. But she never saw him as that. To her, Jay Halstead was the greatest man she's ever known, he was a good one and she saw that every day she saw him with Finn and now Ranger, and with her.

Her thoughts ended as he kissed her, slower and softer than the last one they shared. He felt deliberate in his movements, almost like he was trying to savor this moment, here with her, knowing their little family was safe. And that's all she could ask for, is that Jay came home to them alive, cuts and bruises didn't matter. At the end of the day, he was with her and Finn, and she felt okay with watching him walk out the door every day to go chase the bad guys in Chicago.

He pulled away and she didn't know how long they stood like that before he broke the silence.

"Marry me."

She pulled back to look up at him, shocked at his words. It wasn't his words that surprised her, but more the moment he asked.

"What?" she stuttered, as all coherent thoughts had left.

"I'm serious," he began, his voice stronger than it had been all day. "I've planned to do this for a while, I just haven't had the time, have a ring and everything. But today, I watched a guy lose his girlfriend in that shooting. He told me he never told her he loved her, and that he lost his chance. I don't want to lose a chance to tell you that I love you, or Finn, or ask you to spend the rest of your life with me, because you are it for me, Hailey."

"You're it for me," Hailey whispered.

"So, Hailey Ann Upton, will you marry me?"

"Yes," she replied, kissing him until neither of them knew how to breathe.

Despite the excitement that just happened, Jay was still feeling exhausted and needed sleep. They dried off as if nothing happened, Hailey slipping her pajamas back on as Jay dug around for a pair of sweatpants.

"Hey," he said, grabbing her hand as she walked around to her side of the bed. She stopped in front of him, kissing Jay once more before he pulled away.

"You deserve the real deal," he said as he bent down on one knee, keeping hold of her hand. Hailey couldn't hide the smile that stretched across her face, despite the dim lighting in the room.

"Hailey Ann Upton," he repeated from earlier. "There is nothing more I want to do than spend the rest of my life with you, raising Finn and any other children that come our way. Because you are it for me, the only one I want to wake up and fall asleep next to, bicker about anything and everything, and watch you be the best mom I know you to be. So, will you marry me?"

Hailey was crying now, hearing the words every girl dreamed of hearing.

"Yes, Jay," she said once again, this time watching him slip a ring on her finger. As he stood up, he pulled her close, hugging her tightly and she held onto him.

"Do you think Finn will be mad?" he asked her, causing her to laugh in response.

"Did he know?" she asked, prompting a nod in response.

"He's been asking every day since I told him I was going to ask you to marry me."

"I love him," she said, walking around to slip into bed, pulling Finn close to her. He was going to be in for a surprise tomorrow.

"And I love you both," Jay told her, reaching across to grasp her hand, his thumb playing with the new diamond ring there. "You are everything to me."

* * *

**Sorry for the delay on this one friends! Hope it was worth the ****wait! **

**If there are any ideas you want to see with this story, please let me know! All ideas will help me write more and get you guys new stories! **

**(Also, can we talk about the fall finale promo?! WOW)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi friends! Sorry for the delay on this update! I took a break over the holidays but we're back!**

**If anyone reads my others stories, I can promise you updates are coming! I am hoping to updated _Extenuating Circumstances _before Wednesday, Thursday at the latest! **

**With that, hope you enjoy!**

* * *

The alarm came too quickly for anyone's liking that morning. The entire week had been exhausting with two extra bodies around after Owen and Will and Natalie's newest, Emma, had been staying with them while Will and Natalie took a much-needed vacation.

"Ugh!" Hailey groaned, turning her head into her pillow. "Turn it off."

She heard the alarm stop seconds after, a sign that Jay had turned it off.

"One more day," she told him. "And then I'm back to three kids instead of five."

"Three?" Jay asked as he turned around to face her, his hand moving to prop his head up on his elbow. "When did you magically pop out two kids? Or do you have some secret baby daddy?"

"The only baby daddy I'll have is you," she replied, leaning over to kiss him. "But I was referring to you, Ranger and Finn, you smart ass."

"I take offense to that," he shot back.

"Jay, two days ago it was your idea to build a fort in the living room and then continued to build it after the boys fell asleep."

Hailey knew she had him there, which became more evident when she didn't get some snarky comment in response. She laughed before sliding out of bed, someone being quick enough that she wasn't pulled back in bed by Jay.

"Come on, we've gotta get the kids up."

It was Jay's turn to groan as he slipped out of bed, running a hand through his messy hair. The past week has been a whirlwind and as much as they both wanted another kid, they weren't sure they could handle it. Natalie had joked with them when they dropped the kids off that this could be practice for more and neither of them were prepared for how hectic it would be.

"Do you wanna get ready while I wake them up and get them dressed?" Jay asked her. Hailey just nodded as she brushed her teeth while Jay left to go get them up, before yelling after him she would get Emma. She went through the motions of her morning routine: teeth, makeup, doing something with her hair that wouldn't be in her face all day.

As she opened the drawer to dig out her curling iron, she stopped as she spotted it: the unopened pregnancy test. She bought it last week when she thought she was late but before she could use it, she'd started her period. Now it just sat there, almost daring her to take it but each time she considered it, she got scared.

It had been close to six months since they'd gotten engaged, meaning it had been about six months since they stopped preventing anything from happening. She knew how much Jay wanted another kid, and she wanted it too, but something was stopping her, and she didn't know what it was.

"Mommy!" she heard, making her jump and slam the drawer shut. Seconds later, she saw Finn in the doorway to the bathroom.

"Yes?" she asked, turning to face him. She looked down at the little boy, his own mess of curls as unruly as his dad's was minutes earlier. But at least he was dressed, she told herself. One less thing to worry about this morning.

"Daddy told me to ask you how much longer you need," Finn said. "And that he loves you."

Right there, was one of the reasons, or two, of the reasons she loved Jay. The first was Finn but the second was how Jay always told her that he loved her, first thing in the morning and before they went to bed. Hailey knew why, and she tried not to think about it, but it still warmed her heart.

But at the same time, looking at Finn and hearing Jay's morning "I love you" should be reason enough for her to want a baby. And she did, so badly, but a small voice in her head kept saying no.

"Mommy?" she heard again. Hailey shook her head, turning to Finn, preparing to tell him she needed a few more minutes.

"Can I have a sibling?"

She was not at all prepared for his question. If she hadn't had her curling wand in her hand, she knew she would have dropped it. All Hailey could do was stare at her son, Jay's spitting image and imagine a future where more of these tiny humans ran around, ones that she and Jay created. But she couldn't say anything, other than the word vomit that came out of her mouth.

"Ask you daddy," she told him, and lucky for her, being the curious little boy he was, he just smiled back at her, before running off, a loud and enthusiastic "Daddy!" echoing through the apartment.

With Finn gone and her mind refocused on not burning herself, she concentrated on finishing her hair before unplugging her curling iron and heading to the closet. As she pulls her shirt on, she faintly hears the unmistakable sound of a chatty little girl, knowing it wouldn't be long until she was met by smiling faces.

"Who's there?" she asked, grabbing a t-shirt and jeans for Jay before walking back into the bedroom.

"Auntie LeLe!" Emma said, and as she exited the closet, she saw the little girl try and squirm out of Jay's arms.

"Good morning, Miss Emma!" she said, taking her niece form Jay's arms. "Did you sleep good?"

The little girl just smiled up at Hailey, nodding so fast she was sure her head was gonna fall off her body. Hailey just hugged her tighter as Emma snuggled against her, all while she caught Jay smiling out of the corner of her eye.

"Both boys dressed?" she asked him.

"And eating breakfast," he answered, walking towards her to grab his clothes. He kissed her forehead softly before looking her in the eyes.

"And your son asked me about getting him a sibling?" Jay said. "Said you told him to ask me?"

"I did?" she answered, swaying with Emma in her arms, the little girl beginning to fall back asleep.

"Yes," he told her. "So, how's that going?"

All Hailey could do was shrug, suddenly not wanting to have this conversation while holding a very observant little girl.

"It's going," she answered quietly. "I panicked, I didn't know what to say."

"Hey," Jay told her, sensing she was getting worked up. "It's okay, we can talk about it later. Go get Emma ready, and I'll get dressed and take Ranger out really quick."

Hailey just nodded before looking down at the one year old in her arms that was slowly falling back asleep.

"Come on missy," she told Emma. "Do you want a pink bow today, or yellow?"

"Pink!" the little girl said, suddenly wide awake at the mention of her favorite color. As Hailey walked out of the bedroom, she spotted Finn and Owen in the living room, eyes fixated on whatever cartoon was on TV.

The rest of the morning went by in a blur: Jay letting Ranger out before helping load the kids into their cars, Jay agreeing to drop off the boys at their school while Hailey took Emma with her. It was a system that worked, a routine that had them both thinking they could handle more kids. And despite the ease at which Hailey felt this past week with having Owen and Emma, the thought of taking that pregnancy test in the drawer haunted her.

* * *

"Chicago PD!"

The sound of Kevin's voice jolted him back to the present, causing his mind to refocus on the task at hand. Jay watched as Kim headed in, him and Ranger following close behind. He listened for the telltale sign that the house was empty as he began sending Ranger to find anything illegal in the house, as they were expecting there to be something.

"Found nothing upstairs," Adam said, walking back towards the group. Before he could listen to whatever his boss was saying, Jay felt the leash in his hand tug, causing him to turn towards his dog.

"Buddy, there's nothing there," he told the dog who was pulling towards one of the empty bedrooms.

"Check it out," Voight told him. Jay remembered something then one of the other K9 handlers in his Ranger unit told him, always trust the dog. With his boss's command and the little voice inside his head, he let Ranger lead him back towards the bedroom.

The dog was quick, obviously having made up his mind about where he wanted to go. At the end of the hall was a door that was slightly ajar, Ranger leading the way.

"Whatcha find, buddy?" he asked the dog quietly as he pushed the door open. Jay let go of the leash, moving to draw his weapon if needed. He watched as the dog laid down beside the unmade bed, the sheets looking like they had seen better days. Ranger turned his head towards his owner before turning back to the bed, his nose moving to stick under the bed.

"Ranger?" he asked before reaching for his radio. "Ranger found something up here, back bedroom."

"Copy that," Kim replied as Jay soon heard footsteps on the stairs.

Ranger whined again as he kept looking between his handler and the bed, trying his best to get under the bed but his size wouldn't allow him. His tail was lightly thumping against the wood floors, obvious that he was trying to hide his excitement. Whatever was under there wasn't threatening, Jay decided, the dog was trying not to go crazy, like he did whenever he saw Finn, or Owen, or Emma.

The lightbulb clicked, as Jay holstered his gun, hearing his team at the doorway.

"Hey," he heard, turning to find Kim and Voight in the doorway. He held up a hand towards them, silently telling them to stay back.

As he approached the spot where Ranger lay, Jay crouched down, lifting up the blankets disguising the bed frame from view. As his eyes tried to focus on the darkness, he tried not to act shocked at what he saw. There, under the bed, was a little girl, curled onto her side and staring at him with wide eyes.

"Hi there," Jay said. "My name is Jay, and this is Ranger."

The little girl stared back at him. From what he could tell, she was dirty, obviously hadn't taken a bath in a few days, maybe a week. She looked to be younger than Finn, but he had always been bad at guessing ages, although something told him it may be a lack of food.

"Can you come out from under there?" he asked, trying to reach a hand towards her. He brought it back suddenly when he saw her flinch.

"It's okay, I'm a police officer. You're safe, sweetheart," Jay told her, trying to keep his voice soft and calm like he did with Finn.

"Halstead," Voight said, causing him to look back at his boss momentarily. "Ambo is on the way."

Jay nodded before giving the little girl his attention once again. Knowing it would probably be a while, he changed positions, moving to lay on his stomach beside Ranger. He felt a wet nose against his cheek, Ranger now happy his handler listened to him.

"Good job, buddy," he told Ranger, moving to scratch his ears. "I'm glad Ranger found you."

The little girl just continued to stare at him, as if she couldn't understand the words coming from his mouth.

"Sweetheart, I know you're scared, but I'm scared too, and it would really help me if you could come out from under there. I'm sure it's not comfy."

Jay hoped he could get through to her, not wanting her to be scared of him. But, while he was watching her, he noticed where her attention was really focused: Ranger. The dog had found her, and something told him that a dog was probably the only thing that never hurt her.

"Ambo is here," he heard over his comm. He wanted to get her out before anyone else showed up, he didn't want to overwhelm her, so he went with the first thing that came to his mind. Grabbing the end of Ranger's leash, he pushed the loop on the end towards the little girl, slowing watching her watch it get closer to her.

"Would you let Ranger help you out?" he asked, even though by this point he was past expecting a response. Jay backed up, resting on his knees as he called Ranger to him, the dog understanding his role in Jay's plan, and soon, it worked. Seconds later he saw dark hair pop out from under the bed, followed by a little girl that looked like she hadn't eaten or showered in days.

"Great job, sweetheart," he whispered. It was then she finally looked at him, big brown eyes staring back at him as she moved closer to where Ranger sat, her tiny hands fisting in his fur. If she was pulling at his fur too hard, Ranger didn't make it known. Instead, he just sat there, not moving a muscle as he allowed the little girl to get used to her surroundings.

"Fire Department!" Jay heard suddenly, his heart breaking as he watched the girl hide behind Ranger, her face buried in his neck. Jay stood suddenly but slowly, wanting to meet the paramedics at the door.

"Hey," he said, hands up to stop them. He was relieved to see Sylvie, knowing she would probably go along with his plan.

"Hey Detective," she said. "Sergeant Voight said you needed us?"

"Yeah," he began, his head turning to look back at the little girl, who was now peeking out from behind Ranger to watch him. "But I don't think now is good. She looks fine, just scared, won't let anyone that isn't my dog near her."

Sylvie nodded in understanding. "Call us later. Have your brother check on her, I'm sure she needs it."

With that, the paramedics headed back downstairs, leaving Jay with the little girl who was still holding tightly onto Ranger.

"Hey sweetie," he told her. "We need to get you out of here. Can you follow Ranger out?"

The little girl nodded, and Jay stood up, making sure to keep the left side of his body turned towards her, keeping his gun and holster obstructed from her view. He walked out of the room, letting Ranger, and the little girl following behind, her hands tight around the dog's collar.

They slowly made their way down the steps, Jay taking a moment to radio his team to have any other personnel cleared from the area between the house and his truck. He didn't want to scare her any more than she was, he didn't need her to shut down before he had any chance to get anything out of her.

"You see that grey truck?" he asked her, pointing towards his truck. "We're going to get in there, so I can take you someplace safe. Is that okay?"

For the first time since he found her, she gave him some kind of answer as she nodded her head. He let Ranger lead the way again, knowing that she trusted his dog and Jay trusted Ranger to not let anything happen.

He spotted the rest of his team on the outskirts of the scene, trying to give them some space. As they reached the truck, he stepped ahead, opening the back door for them. While he was expecting Ranger to jump in like he always did, the dog just sat down beside his new best friend, waiting to see what Jay was going to do. Jay quickly made sure the backseat was down, and he was glad he didn't have time that morning to take the boys' car seats out, allowing him to get the little girl to the district safely.

"Is okay if I help you in the truck?" he asked her. He watched as she looked towards Ranger, and if on cue, the dog jumped up, moving to sit in the space between the two car seats. Jay looked back at her, silently asking if he could help her up. She nodded her head, raising her arms up at him to let him pick her up.

"Here we go," he whispered, setting her into Finn's seat and buckling her in. "Now I'm going to talk to my friend really quickly, but I'm going to leave the door open so you can see me, okay?"

She nodded her head once again, and Jay felt some of the nerves he had leave as he watched Ranger lay his head down on her lap. He slowly backed up towards Voight, not wanting to turn his back on her.

"She say anything?" Voight asked, moving to stand in front of Jay, but not obstructing his view of the truck.

"Nothing," he answered. "She's barely let me near her except to help her into the truck. She hasn't let Ranger leave her side."

"Do you have any suggestions?" Voight asked, letting him take the lead on this.

"I was thinking about calling Hailey," he answered honestly. "She knows kids this age, and then you aren't pulling me from the field. She can stay with her while I work the case."

"Do it," Voight answered, not arguing with him. "Head back to the district, set them up in the breakroom. Leave Ranger behind with them if you need to."

Jay just nodded, walking back towards the truck. He smiled at the little girl, trying to put her at ease.

"Hey sweetheart," he told her, leaning against the truck. "We're going to head to the police station and my friend Hailey is going to meet us there. Okay?"

She nodded her head and with that, he shut the door, heading towards the driver's side door. Jay quickly reached for his personal cell, pressing the contact that always seemed to be on the top of his call list. He didn't have to wait long until he heard a familiar voice.

"Jay?" she asked, some worry filling her voice.

"I'm okay," he quickly reassured her. "I need your help."

"What's up?" she replied, her tone becoming softer upon hearing his voice. "I'm still working though."

Shit, he thought. She and the kids started back at school a few weeks ago, and Jay hadn't adjusted to her working again.

"It's almost lunch time," she interrupted him. "Let me see if I can get someone to take the late pick-ups and I can meet you in an hour?"

"Thank you," he whispered, once again lucky for someone like her to be in his life.

"What exactly do you need Jay?" she asked him, and he realized he hadn't told her why he called. He snuck a glance at his rearview mirror, looking back at his newest passenger cuddled up with his partner.

"I'll explain later," he told her. "I'll text you what I need. I owe you, babe."

Hailey laughed on the other end of the phone, and he knew she was on board with whatever he needed.

"You certainly do," she replied. "I gotta go, but text me whatever you need. Love you."

"Love you, too," he said before hanging up. As he snuck another glance back, he saw the little girl asleep, Ranger beside her, keeping watch.

"Hey bud," he said softly, but just loud enough that the dog could hear. "Good job."

All he got was a tail wag in response, but he was proud either way and he knew he wouldn't have Ranger by his side for the rest of the day.

* * *

Jay heard her before he saw her, the lightness of her voice travelling up the stairs into the bullpen. Since he got back, he hadn't moved from leaning against the doorframe to the breakroom, determined to keep an eye on the little girl, even when he knew she was safe as long as Ranger laid beside her.

"Hey," Hailey said, her hand touching his back lightly. Jay turned to look at her, a smile crossing his face as his eyes met hers.

"Hi," he said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Thanks for coming."

"Of course," she replied. "What's up?"

"We found her at a house we raided earlier," he said, motioning into the room. "She hasn't said a word, won't let anyone near her except me and Ranger, although I'm a stretch."

Hailey just nodded, before turning back to Jay.

"I'll see what I can do. I'm here for the rest of the day. Marilyn picked up the kids and they're going to watch them until we head home."

It hit Jay then that they still had Owen and Emma, not to mention their own kid. But leave it to his fiancée to think ahead and call Natalie's mom to help out.

"You're the best," he told her, kissing her once more. "I'll be at my desk if you need me. Ranger's off duty for the day, special detail you could say."

She laughed at his joke before nodding once more.

"Anything you need out of her?" Hailey asked, and he was glad she understood the situation they were in.

"Her name would be helpful," he told her. "All we have on the house she was found in was that was owned by a dealer that is now dead, so we have nothing."

"I'll see what I can do," she told him as she entered the room.

"Hi sweetie," she said, kneeling down in front of the couch. "I'm a friend of Ranger's. My name is Hailey."

She was met with wide brown eyes, and it was obvious to Hailey this girl was scared. All she could do then is make her feel safe and comfortable, whatever that took.

"Is it okay if I sit here?" she asked, moving to sit on the floor in front of the couch. The girl nodded her head, a sign that she was beginning to trust Hailey.

"I am going to get you something to eat and some new clothes. But could you tell me your name?"

The girl was silent, not daring to speak up, causing Hailey to wonder if she had been abused for speaking by whoever lived in that house with her. Her heart broke to see this little girl so scared, even when she was in one of the safest buildings she could ever be in, surrounded by cops that would protect her at all cost.

She soon got the girl to eat something and let her change out of the dirty nightgown she was in. But despite all of that, she still hadn't said a word, choosing only to nod or shake her head to answer questions Hailey had.

It had been close to an hour since Hailey got to the station that she heard something. At first, she was sure she was imagining things, but she saw Ranger's ears perk up from his place between her and the girl.

"Did you say something?" she asked, turning to look at her companion.

"Madeline," she said softy and Hailey felt relief knowing that they were getting somewhere.

"Your name is Madeline?" she asked, just wanting to make sure she heard her right.

"Yes," she replied, clearly having found her voice.

"That's a very pretty name," Hailey told her. "And do you know where you were when Jay and Ranger found you?"

She thought for a moment before nodding and answering.

"Mr. Paul's house," she told Hailey, who just nodded in response. She snuck a glance out into the bullpen, spotting Adam at his desk.

"I'm going to go talk to Jay, okay honey? But then I will be right back."

"Can the doggie stay?" she asked, and Hailey noticed how her little hands buried themselves into Ranger's fur, almost as if she was scared to let him go in fear he will leave.

"He's not going to leave you, not unless you want him to," Hailey told her, making sure she understood.

"Okay," Madeline answered and with that, Hailey stood, walking towards the bullpen. As she reached the door, she spotted Jay at his desk before heading in that direction.

"Hey," she said, watching as he looked up at her, turning his body towards her so she had his full attention. "Her name is Madeline."

* * *

They both collapsed onto the couch, exhaustion taking over. The sounds of the hockey game on TV was drowned out by the laughter of Finn and Owen and the giggles of Emma.

"How do people do this?" Jay asked, looking over at Hailey. He took a moment to take in her appearance, a messy bun on top of her head and her face scrubbed clean of makeup, but she still looked gorgeous to him.

"I don't know, but I will tell you now, we are not having four kids," she told him, point at him to emphasize her point.

Her statement made them look over towards the corner of the small living room where Madeline sat beside Ranger's bed. She had been fairly silent since they got home, and Natalie's mom had told them she told the boys about Madeline. To their relief, they had been calmer and gentler around her, but now that it was close to bedtime, they were off the wall.

"Well, let's deal with the ones we have now," Jay told her before standing up and walking to the boys. Without much effort, he picked them up, holding one kid under each arm.

"It's bath time for you two," he said, holding them tighter as they tried to escape. Hailey saw Emma try and follow, but she scooped her up before she could follow Jay. She snuck another glance over at Madeline, finding her looking in her direction.

"Do you want me to read you that book?" she softly asked, pointing towards the book she had been looking at for the past few minutes. Madeline just nodded before standing up and walking towards Hailey.

She set Emma on the couch beside her to help Madeline climb up. Glancing down at the book, she smiled, remembering it from her own childhood.

"Okay," she said, letting Emma crawl back into her lap as she held the book in front of Madeline, reading the title first. "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie."

At some point, Emma dozed off and Ranger wandered over, sitting in front of them while resting his head in the space between them. She saw Owen and Finn walk back in, both boys quiet as they sat on the other side of the couch with Jay.

Hailey soon finished the story, turning to look at Madeline and smiled as she saw hazel eyes looking back up at her.

"Ready for bed?" she asked her, and Madeline just nodded.

"Can Maddie sleep with us?" Finn asked, causing Hailey to look over at him.

"Maddie?" she asked him, and he just nodded at his mom.

"There's a girl named Madeline in class," he told her. "But we all call her Maddie cause it's easier to say."

Hailey glanced at Jay, unsure of what to say before a quiet voice piped up.

"I like Maddie," the girl herself said.

"Well then Miss Maddie," Jay said, standing up to pick her up. "Let's get you ready for bed, okay?"

She just nodded while Hailey stood, carrying Emma into Finn's room where all three kids had been sleeping. Gently, she laid her down while Jay set Maddie on the blow-up mattress he had inflated earlier.

"If you need anything, Hailey and I's room is right down the hall," Jay told Maddie. "You can come get us whenever okay?"

The little girl just nodded, tugging the blanket that was covering her closer.

Jay helped the boys into Finn's bed, tucking them in despite their protests that they were not tired. After one more round of tucking the kids in, they shut the lights off and headed out into the living room.

"I don't know about you, but I am ready for bed," Hailey told Jay. He just nodded, walking to check the locks and turn off the rest of the lights.

He found Hailey already in bed when he walked in, and before he thought about anything else, he pulled off his shirt to climb in bed beside her.

"So," she asked, turning on her side to face Jay. "How long is Maddie gonna stay with us?"

"What?" he asked, but before he could continue, she cut him off.

"Jay, you and I both know she's gonna be staying with us until this case is wrapped. I'm assuming you already talked to DCFS?"

He gave in, nodding before taking Hailey's hand in his own, kissing it softly.

"Sergeant Platt pulled some strings. After what I saw today and the blind trust she has in Ranger, I couldn't let her get placed in some foster house. I wouldn't let them do that.

"You," Hailey said, moving closer to kiss him. "Are a good man, Jay Halstead."

Without any more words, they both fell asleep, the exhaustion settling in. But they didn't sleep for long until Jay woke up to the sound of Ranger whimpering.

"What is it buddy?" he asked, eyes barely open. But as soon as he saw Maddie standing beside the dog, he was wide awake.

"Are you okay, Maddie?" he asked her, nudging Hailey awake as he sat up. She mumbled something, but quickly sat up as well when she saw Jay pick up Maddie, settling her down between them in bed.

"I was scared," she told them. "I didn't want to sleep alone."

"You can sleep with us, sweetie," Hailey told her. "You too buddy."

The last part was directed at Ranger, who jumped on the bed to snuggle close to Maddie.

"Hey," Jay whispered, facing the little girl between him and Hailey. "I promise you that we're gonna keep you safe, and you don't have to be scared. You're safe with us."

Maddie nodded at Jay while Hailey had to fight back tears, wrapping an arm around the little girl to pull her closer, wanting her to feel safe and secure. Before she fell asleep, she locked eyes with Jay, nodding softly to let him know that this was the right thing to do.

* * *

Hailey nearly fell into her desk chair, finally having a chance to sit after it felt like she had been on her feet all day. Her kids had been insane, and the morning was hectic as neither of the two kids in her own house had been keen to get out of bed, and she had been glad to no longer have her niece and nephew there. It was a small miracle that she and Jay made it to work on time, even while Jay had to drop Finn off at school on the way.

As she thought about her little boy, she glanced at her watch, realizing she had about 30 minutes until she could leave and go pick up Finn. She smiled as she heard Maddie playing across the room, once again grateful for her boss understanding the situation and allowing Maddie to stay with her class.

She glanced down at her watch again, almost willing it to move faster but she knew she would do this every second until the clock hit 2. Before her brain could catch up, she was packing her bag, putting her laptop and phone away and grabbing her keys.

"Come on, Miss Maddie," she said to the little girl. "How about we go get a snack before we pick up Finn?"

"Yes!" she said, with some of the most energy she had seen in this little girl. Every day it seemed like she was coming out of her shell more, a departure from the scared girl she and Jay first met just a few weeks ago.

"Put the toys up and grab your bag," she told her, not letting habits slip for the girl she considered her daughter. Hailey watched as Maddie did just that, perfectly putting the blocks and cars she was playing with back where they went before running to the cubbies on the back wall of her room.

Luckily, her boss was walking by her room as she waited for Maddie, explaining that she was going to finish working at home. Allison had told her when she first brought Maddie in that if she wanted to leave earlier, she could, but it just didn't feel right since Maddie wasn't hers. But now, as she looked down at Maddie who was smiling up at her, her tiny hand slipping into Hailey's, maybe this wasn't such a bad idea.

It was when she walked out the front doors of the preschool that she felt it, something was off. She couldn't tell what, but the feeling was enough to make her grab Maddie's hand a little tighter and quickly put her in the car, knowing she was capable of buckling herself into her car seat.

Hailey tried to stay vigilant, looking for anything suspicious but she found nothing. As she started driving, her nerves calmed but she made the decision to go through the coffee shop drive through instead of going in, wanting to be in the safety of her car.

Five minutes later, she had pulled into the parking lot, briefly asking Maddie what she wanted before ordering an iced coffee for herself and something for Finn. That was when she noticed it, a red car pulling into the coffee shop lot that she thought was at her school, but she couldn't remember. Before she could process it all, it was her turn to pay and she was back on the road to Finn's school.

She didn't see the car again and decided maybe she was paranoid as she pulled into the pick-up line at Finn's school. But she still checked her phone, seeing if she had any messages from Jay and scrolling through social media, listening to the music softly playing on the radio. Time flew that time and before she knew it, Finn's teacher was walking towards her, waving before opening the car door to let Finn in.

"Hey buddy!" she said, trying to sound cheerful. "How was school?"

The question caused him to go on a tangent about all the animals they learned about today, Maddie barely getting a chance to give him the cookie they got him. But while Hailey zoned out of Finn's words, she spotted the car again, this time making it more known that it was following her. It could be nothing, she told herself, but in the back of her mind, knowing the case that brought them Maddie wasn't closed, she worried. A lot.

She took the next right she saw, her body on autopilot as she drove to the 21st district. There was no way to know if Jay was working or not, but she hoped that by pulling into a police station, whoever was following her would leave her alone, and she would feel safer.

Time felt nonexistent as she focused on the car behind her and driving to the district, and it wasn't until she heard Finn's voice that she realized where she was.

"That's daddy's district!" Finn said, causing Hailey to slow down as she approached the building, heading towards the visitor's lot. Sneaking another glance in her rearview mirror, she saw that the car turned on a side street once whoever was driving realized where she was going. As she pulled into the lot and quickly finding a space, she just sat there for a second, trying to let her heart rate go down.

"Are we going in?" Finn asked, breaking her thoughts before her mind wandered too far.

"Yeah we are," she told him, grabbing her phone and keys, not caring about her bag since she was in a police station parking lot. But she was more concerned about getting the kids inside, knowing she wouldn't feel safe until she was standing in the lobby of the district.

Hailey opened the back door, unbuckling Maddie and pulling the little girl into her arms. Finn must have sensed her worry as his energetic personality was replaced with a calmer one, but as she promised him that daddy was okay, he relaxed himself.

Holding onto Finn's hand, she walked towards the entrance, carrying Maddie in her arms. Two cops saw her head towards the doors, opening them for her. She mumbled thank yous to them and as she saw the front desk, she let out a breath she didn't realized she was holding in.

"Hailey?" she heard, and she turned to see Kim standing at the front desk talking to Sergeant Platt. She just stared at them, and before she could process it all, she heard Kim speak again.

"What's wrong?" the brunette asked, walking from her place behind the desk.

"Where's Jay?" was all she could say, and she could hear the fear in her own voice as she spoke.

"He's out right now, but should be heading back," Kim told her. "Why don't we go upstairs, okay?"

Hailey just nodded, following Kim to the gate and watched the woman scan her palm and suddenly she heard the click of the door. The walk up the stairs seemed endless and she wasn't sure how much longer she could go without seeing Jay. Luckily for her, she didn't have to wait long.

As they reached the top, her eyes met with Jay's, who had clearly been waiting to see who was walking upstairs. The second recognition kicked in, he was out of his chair, walking towards them. She felt Finn let go of her hand, running towards Jay, but to her surprise, Jay ignored his son, his only mission was to get to Hailey.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, knowing that she never dropped by out of the blue. She always called or texted first.

"I, I," she began, for once struggling to get her words out. Everything was a blur to her, as she felt Kim take Maddie from her arms, saw Adam out of the corner of her eye take Finn's hand, leading both kids away from she and Jay.

"Babe, what's wrong?" he asked again, his hands finding hers and squeezing, more than he normally would but she needed the slight pain to bring her back to reality.

"I think someone was following me."

* * *

"Hey," Jay said as he walked into Hank's office, finding Hailey sitting beside Finn and Maddie, whose eyes were trained on Hailey's laptop on the desk. Adam had gone to get her bag, specifically for this reason. "Got a second?"

She nodded, standing up and following Jay out into the bullpen where the rest of his team stood around.

"What's going on?" she asked, crossing her arms as she stood just outside the office.

"We found the guy," Adam told her, pointing to a picture on a board Hailey hadn't noticed. "Does he look familiar?"

"No," she shook her head. "But I never saw him. Just the car."

"His name is Josh Harris," Adam continued. "He's Maddie's father."

If Jay hadn't been standing beside her, his hand on her back, she was sure she would have fallen to the ground because this wasn't happening.

"What?" she whispered, sneaking a glance back at the kids.

"We looked into where you went today since leaving your school," Kevin told her. "You popped up on a traffic camera almost every block, which got us a good look at his face and license plate. We found him at his house, but it's safe to say he doesn't know who he is dealing with."

"He's downstairs right now, getting charged with all the drug stuff and the DA thinks she can add some child abuse and abandonment charges for what he did to Maddie."

As the information set in, she turned towards Jay, her head falling to his chest as she focused on her breathing. She had been worried they wouldn't find him, that she would be stuck looking over her shoulder for the next week. But she should have known that Jay's unit would have found him, even two hours after she got here.

She didn't remember if she said anything before Jay was guiding her back into the office. He just sat her down in a chair before crouching in front of her, his hands falling onto her thighs.

"Hey," he whispered. His voice brought her back, it always did, and she snuck a glance over his shoulder, finding the two kids asleep on the couch, Ranger laying in front of them on the floor.

"Thank you," was all she said before she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Jay, needing to feel completely safe once again.

Silence fell between them, the only sound in the room were that from whatever kids show was playing on her laptop. But even while time distorted once more, she felt safe and clear headed, causing her to saythe first thing that came to her mind.

"I want to adopt her, Jay," she whispered, opening her eyes to look back at the girl that had become her daughter, that became a part of their perfect little family.

"Me too," Jay said, hugging her tighter to him.

"Really?" she asked, not sure he would be on board. In the back of her mind, Hailey knew he would come around eventually, but his words still shocked her.

"I've been thinking about it for a while," he told her, moving to kneel in front of her and pulling back, letting her see the emotions on his face. "But I didn't know how you would feel."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Just, with the wedding and trying for a baby, all while handling the kid and the dog we have, I didn't want to overwhelm you," he told her honestly. "But every day, the need to adopt her, to give her a family, grows stronger. And after today, I want to be able to do everything I can to protect her."

Hailey didn't say anything, but she kissed him then, pouring her heart into every movement. Once again, Jay showed her how big his heart was, how he would do anything for the people he loves, and that sentiment now included Maddie. As she pulled back, she saw tears in his own eyes, and she traced her thumbs across his cheeks, wiping away the few that had escaped.

"Let's do it," she told him. "And all the other stuff, it can wait."

"Are you sure?" he asked her, and right then, it all clicked.

"Yes," she told him, looking once more at the kids before focusing on Jay. "I bought a pregnancy test last month, but I couldn't bring myself to take it. And now I think maybe someone knew we would get Maddie, someone watching over us."

She let the words hang there, watching as Jay understood her hidden meaning. His hand moved to the side of her face as she leaned into it, savoring the warmth of his hand and how it seemed to spread throughout her body.

"Let's adopt her," he told her, and all she could do was smile back at him.

* * *

"Hey sweetheart," Jay softly whispered, trying to wake the little girl up from her late nap.

"Hi Jay," she said quietly, rubbing her hands over her eyes as she sat up. "Is it morning?"

"No, it isn't," he told her. "We're going to go home soon, but Hailey and I wanted to talk to you first, okay?"

She just nodded, reaching her arms up to be picked up. He obliged her, pulling her into his arms as he stood, careful not to wake Finn. Voight stood at the door, whispering that he would stay and watch Finn as they talked to Maddie.

He walked the short distance next door, Maddie slowly waking up and adjusting to her surroundings. As he locked eyes with Hailey sitting on the couch, he realized it was all coming full circle, as this is where their journey with this amazing little girl began.

"Hey sweetie," Hailey said, watching as Jay softly closed the door before sitting beside her, adjusting Maddie on his lap. "Did you have a good nap?"

Maddie just nodded, a dark brown ponytail moving with her. She seemed to be more alert as she looked at Hailey, and Jay just nodded to his fiancée, telling her he would start.

"So, they guy that had been following Hailey, and the reason you guys have been here, is your daddy," he told her, watching as she turned to face him.

"He is?" Maddie asked. "I didn't know I had a daddy."

Jay was sure he could hear his and Hailey's heart break at her statement, but he pressed on, determined to get this out without crying.

"You do have a daddy, but he isn't a nice guy, so he has to go away to a place for people that aren't nice," Hailey explained, and Jay was glad he had her there. He wasn't sure he would have been able to tell Maddie her biological father was going to prison and would likely never see freedom again.

"Now because of that," she continued. "Jay and I were wondering if you want to come live with us."

"But I already live with you?" Maddie said, the statement so innocent.

"Yes, you do," Hailey said. "But what I mean is, would you like us to adopt you?"

There was silence through the room, and for Maddie is may have been normal, it was suffocating for both Hailey and Jay.

"What does that mean?" she asked them, looking back up at Jay.

"Well, it means you would have a new mommy and daddy, you would be mine and Hailey's daughter. And it also means that you would have my last name, just like Finn does because he is my child," Jay explained.

"Well what about Hailey?" Maddie asked, pointing towards the blonde beside them. "Does she have your last name too?"

The question, so innocent from her, but monumental for them. Hailey just smiled at her fiancée while absent mindedly playing with her ring on her finger.

"Not yet, but I will one day," Hailey told her, moving her hand to play with Maddie's hair.

"But I want your name too," she said, her voice threatening to break. "Because, if I'm yours, do I have to share your name too?"

Jay watched as Hailey's eyes teared up, one lone tear betraying her to fall down her face. She moved to wipe it away before taking both of Maddie's hands in hers.

"How about this?" she said softly. "You can have both of our names. Does that sound good?"

He looked at her confused as to where she was going with this, but he didn't have to question long as she continued talking.

"So, your first name is Madeline, even though we call you Maddie, right?"

"Right!" Maddie said, her voice strong as she answered Hailey's question.

"And your last name will be Halstead, just like Jay's. And one day, so will mine. But you can also have another name, a middle name. My middle name is Ann, and Jay's is Patrick and Finn's is James, which is also Jay's real name."

"Which is like you," Jay jumped in. "We both have different names that people call us."

"So, how about you pick out a middle name for you?" Hailey asked the little girl. They watched as she concentrated, thinking about what may seemed so simple to her, but was a monumental decision to them.

"Can my middle name be Hailey?" she asked, looking back at the woman in question. Hailey was crying now, as was Jay, but both just smiled down at the little girl, as her hazel eyes met Hailey's blue ones.

"I think that's perfect," Jay told her. "Madeline Hailey Halstead. Do you like it?"

Maddie turned to Jay, giving him the biggest smile either of them has ever seen from her.

"I love it."

* * *

"Jay! We need to go!" she yelled from the kitchen. Their appointment was in less than an hour and Hailey was already dreading the traffic through downtown Chicago from thier apartment. But as she finished pouring their coffee into to-go mugs, she heard the sound of little feet running towards her.

It had become her new favorite sound, that of two pairs of feet instead of one, running to her. Seconds later, she was greeted by two of her favorite faces ever.

"Morning mommy!" Finn said, smiling wide to reveal three missing teeth. Maddie stood beside him, smiling too but her demeanor not nearly as enthusiastic as her soon-to-be brother.

"Morning, Hailey," she said softly, still smiling even while her tone betrayed her. She caught on quickly and Hailey had an idea about what was up, but before she could say anything, she saw Jay walk in, adjusting his suit jacket. He had been adamant that they dress for the occasion, if not for them, but for Maddie.

"Hey buddy," Hailey said, turning to Finn. "Mommy thinks she left her phone in her room, can you go look for me?"

"Yes!" he said before running off, nearly running into Jay. The phone was a lie, but she knew it would keep him occupied for the time being.

"Good morning to my two favorite girls," Jay said, kissing Hailey before picking Maddie up, settling the four-year-old in his arms before kissing her cheek. She giggled at the action like she always did, but the laughter didn't meet her eyes.

"You ready for today?" he asked, looking Maddie in the eye. The little girl nodded, and once again smiled, but Hailey, and now Jay, saw right through it.

"What's up?" she asked her, taking Maddie's hand in hers. Maddie just shook her head before burying her face in Jay's shoulder. His own hand moved to rub her back, knowing she was close to tears.

"Maddie, what's wrong?" Jay asked her, kissing her forehead softly. She looked up at them, tears in her eyes but they weren't falling.

"It's your adoption day," Hailey told her. "It's the day you are ours forever and ever, just like the book we read."

Matt Casey had given them a book for kids about adoption, as he had almost gone through the process himself with Gabby. And they had read it almost every night before bed, hoping to make both Finn and Maddie comfortable with the changing dynamic, which didn't feel like much of a change to begin with.

"You still want to be adopted, right?" Jay asked, a slight tremble in his voice. As much as they both wanted her to be theirs, she was old enough to comprehend what was happening, but they ultimately wanted the decision to be hers.

"Yes!" she said suddenly, her head shooting up from Jay's shoulder. "Please don't send me back!"

"Sweetheart, we would never," Hailey told her. "Whatever happens today, you are ours and always will be, okay?"

Maddie nodded, looking between Jay and Hailey. It seemed like she was trying to say something, but Hailey wasn't sure what.

"What's bothering you?" Jay asked. Maddie looked down, looked anywhere but at Hailey and Jay before she softly spoke.

"Do I get to call you mommy and daddy too? Like Finn?" she asked. Neither of them said anything as Hailey took Maddie from Jay's arms, hugging the lightly girl so tightly.

"You absolutely do," she said, tears falling down her face, ruining her makeup for sure. She looked up at Jay, who pulled them both closer to him, before Maddie was trapped in between them.

"You're our daughter, Maddie," Jay said, leaning back to look at her. She slowly lifted her head off of Hailey's shoulder as Jay continued. "You are Madeline Hailey Halstead, our daughter, which makes us your mommy and daddy."

Maddie looked at Jay before nodding, arms reaching out for her own hug from him. Hailey watched as he took her instantly and before she could say anything, she heard Finn running back into the kitchen.

"I couldn't find it mommy," he said, disappointment spreading across his features, upset that he failed her.

"I found it in here," she told him, opening her arms for him to run to her. "Thank you though."

She picked him up, hugging her to him while she watched Jay holding Maddie in his arms. This was her family, and while it was different than most it was perfect to her.

"You want to know something?" Jay said, looking down at Maddie. Hailey just smiled, moving closer to Jay and Maddie while keeping Finn in her arms.

"What?" she asked, hazel eyes meeting green.

"Mommy adopted Finn, too," he told her. She watched as Maddie looked over at her and Finn before looking back at Jay, eyes widening in recognition.

"Really?" she asked, as Hailey nodded her head, starting to explain before getting interrupted.

"Mommy adopted me last year," Finn told Maddie. "And she's the best mommy ever."

Hailey hugged him tighter to her as her emotions became too much for her to handle. She could see tears in Jay's eyes, but the pride in them for Finn and his words shone the brightest.

"So now," Hailey said, finding her words. "Are we ready to go?"

Two now excited kids announced their agreement followed by a bark in the background, causing them all to look down as Ranger had made his way into the kitchen.

"Can Ranger come too?" Maddie asked, looking up at Jay who looked over at Hailey. All she did was nod, because to her, it wouldn't be right not to bring Ranger, the dog who, in her mind, brought Maddie into their lives.

"Of course, he can," she said before looking at Jay. "Better get his work collar and get in the car!"

And with that, two kids scrambled out of their parents' arms, running to the front door to get their coats while Jay pulled her into his arms, kissing her, hard. Hailey felt every emotion from him, just like she did whenever he kissed her.

"I love you," he mumbled against her lips before kissing her once more.

"I love you too," she told him. "Now let's go get our family in the car."

* * *

"Well cutie," Will said, picking up Maddie before tickling her, earning giggles from the little girl. "I guess this officially makes me your Uncle Will."

Hailey just watched the interaction, her heart bursting as she looked around the courtroom. There was no one here but their families: her brothers and parents, Will, Natalie and their kids, and what had become their Intelligence family, too. It was pretty perfect to her, and nothing could make this day better.

"Well Mrs. Halstead," she heard from behind her, not bothering to turn around before she felt Jay's arms wrap around her. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm on cloud nine," she told him, leaning back into him. "But I'll feel even better once the judge gets here."

"About that," he said, causing Hailey to spin around, worry visible on her face.

"He's not coming?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper as her mind jumped to conclusions. Jay quickly shook his head, smiling to calm her nerves.

"He's on his way, but there's something I have to tell you first," he told her. She just nodded, her heart rate betraying her despite the look on Jay's face.

"What?" she asked, just wanting him to get on with it.

"Today isn't just Maddie's adoption day," he began, his hands finding hers. "It's also our wedding day."

His words stunned her, and she wasn't sure she heard him right. Her expression must have told him that as he started to explain.

"I wanted us to be able to adopt her as Mr. and Mrs. Halstead. Hank pulled some strings, so before the judge signs the paperwork, we're getting married first."

"Are you serious?" she said softly, causing Jay to nod.

"I'll still give you the whole ceremony and reception, but I felt like this was perfect. Just you and me, our kids and our dog, with the people that mean the most to us. How does that sound?"

Hailey couldn't speak, so she kissed him like he kissed her this morning, her arms going around his neck as his wrapped around her waist, picking her up off the ground. But before they could get carried away, they heard someone call their names.

"Hey! Some of us didn't take the day off!" Will said, causing everyone to laugh, including the almost parents of two kids.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Jay said, taking her hand as he led her back to the rest of their families. They broke apart as Maddie and Finn came running towards them, both leaning down to pick up one of them. The laughter in the room was interrupted by a door closing, as they turned to see Tommy Wells walking towards them.

"Now I understand there is a wedding and an adoption today?" he said, bypassing the bench to come stand in front of them.

"Yes sir," Jay said, moving to shake the man's hand while he adjusted Finn in his arms.

"Well let's get this show on the road," he said, walking past them to rest the papers in his arms on one of the tables in the court room. "Now do you want to keep this short and sweet or…"

"Short!" Will said, one again causing everyone to laugh.

The whole ceremony went by in a blur, as Hailey could only focus on Jay and Finn, and having Maddie in her arms. Her head rested against the little girl's on her shoulder and she watched Jay and before she knew it, she was setting Maddie down and Jay was getting rings from his brother. She tried to keep her hands from shaking as Jay slid the small diamond band onto her ring finger, resting on top of her engagement ring before she did the same to him.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," was all she could remember hearing before Jay's lips crashed onto hers.

"And you're one step ahead of me," Judge Wells said, causing everyone to laugh, but all she could feel, and taste was Jay, her husband.

"Now that you're Mr. and Mrs. Halstead," Adam said. "Can we move on? I have reservations at Molly's."

The sound of Kevin and Kim smacking him echoed through the small courtroom, earning a laugh from everyone.

"We don't need reservations," Kim told him, but as he tried to protest, she slapped a hand over his mouth before turning to them. "Continue please and ignore him."

Hailey just smiled before looking down, finding that Maddie's hand had slipped into hers, the little girl playing with the two rings on her finger.

"You ready, sweetie?" she asked, and Maddie just looked up at her and smiled the biggest she had all day. It made her heart melt, because that's when she knew everything was okay.

"Ok then," Jay said before Judge Wells began speaking.

"So, are you Madeline?" he asked her, his tone soft as he looked up from a paper to glance at her.

"Yes sir," she told him, polite as ever.

"And can you tell me your full name?" he said.

"Madeline Hailey Halstead," she answered with so much pride that Hailey looked at Jay, finding that he was getting emotional too.

"And you want Jay and Hailey Halstead to adopt you?" he asked her. Hailey knew this was all for show, but she didn't care. If this would make Maddie feel reassured that they were all a family, then so be it.

"Yes!" she said, jumping and pulling Hailey's hand slightly. She then felt Jay's hand rest on her back, causing her to look back at him holding Finn in his arms.

"Well then, I can't argue with that," he told them, glancing back down at the paper in front of him. "Jay and Hailey Halstead, you're officially Madeline's parents."

She reached down then to pick up Maddie, hugging her as tightly as she did this morning. Jay's arms went around them, and she soon felt a wet nose press against her knee, causing her to look down, finding Ranger sitting beside them.

"I hate to interrupt this, but I just need you to sign some papers, and you can be on your way."

As they let the kids down to play with Ranger and their cousins, she followed Jay to the table, first signing their marriage license and then the adoption papers, Will following to witness them all. Less than five minutes later, they were all walking out of the courthouse, and she was sure they were a sight to see: four kids, a dog and half a dozen cops standing on the steps as the new family took a picture.

Of all her favorite days, this one easily topped the list. Hailey always thought it would be her wedding day, or the day her children were born, but as she stood next to Jay, her son and daughter in the arms with Ranger in front, she couldn't describe how she felt. She turned to look at Jay, finding him already looking at her, leaning in to kiss her. And despite the whistles from the guys and the protesting noises from her kids, she didn't want this moment to ever leave her mind.


End file.
